


The Company Ink

by MagentasNightmare



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, DON'T LIKE - DON'T READ (I'm not changing what I write for anyone:), Difference of position in relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Insecurity, Jealous Ex-girlfriend, Love, Merle and OFC smut, Merle falls for his boss, Merle is a total honey...but also a sex god, Romance, Seduction, Sweetness, Workplace Relationship, Workplace Sex, ge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-26 02:46:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 27,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7557082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagentasNightmare/pseuds/MagentasNightmare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merle is just entering into an entirely new career after suffering a workplace injury as a heavy duty mechanic. He goes back to school to become an IT professional and quickly finds himself to be the interest of his attractive new employer. This story is not plot heavy and is primarily a relationship study with more plot at the very end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_**The Company Ink** _

Merle had never had a job where he needed to wear a tie before, he felt like a fish out of water. He'd never had a female boss either, not that it mattered to him but it was just an alien environment. He'd gone back to community college to get a job in IT after injuring his back as a mechanic.

Unfortunately, being off work for almost a year had meant the end of his engagement. His fiancee, Cadence, pressured him to go back to work for the money but his back was screwed up, and he chose to go back to school for a new career instead, she wasn't happy. Living on EI was hardly luxurious, but he could barely walk for the better part of six months and had a lot of PT to get back on his feet. He was afraid of losing his mobility, so he was adamant about leaving heavy duty mechanics. She had become accustomed to the $2000 he was bringing home every week and got frustrated with him being home and unable to do very much.

Merle completed some of his schooling online and some in night classes and found that he loved computers. It turned out that he had a real knack for it and he finished his IT course with the highest grades they'd ever given anyone. He was awarded a scholarship to go toward his student loans, and he paid off the rest with his savings. He lived a frugal life that didn't jive with Cadence, who thought she ought to be getting a free ride in life.

He had his own apartment now after the split and Cadence had an evening-long change of heart a couple weeks before where she came back just long enough to have sex with him and then take off again. She had him convinced that she'd made a huge mistake and that she was sorry. If she hadn't caught him on a low night, he would have been able to tell her no, but it was what it was. When he woke up, she was gone, and he knew he'd been used simply out of convenience. She had come and brought her rejection to his new safe space, and he disliked his crappy apartment even more because of it. After a lot of soul searching he decided he was completely ready to put her behind him and move on, even if he was alone forever.

His co-workers at his new job were friendly enough but spoke about things he knew nothing about, different music, TV shows and hobbies. He found himself nodding a lot in the coffee room as a group of them would be discussing something. When they'd ask him what he thought he'd just agree or fake his way through it and they didn't seem to notice.

The interview had been awkward with his new boss, with a lot of questions that were hard to answer.

_**Where do you see yourself in five years?** _

_**~Uh...working here? And I don't know? Maybe married or something?** _

_**Do you work well under pressure?** _

_**~Sure, I don't let stuff get to me. I can do whatever you want me to.** _

_**What personality traits do you possess that you feel would be an asset?** _

_**~I get along with people, and I work hard...and I uh...I'm honest and punctual.** _

His interviews for mechanic jobs had consisted of explaining that he knew about cars, heavy equipment and trucks and assuring them he'd come to work on time. They'd just shake his hand, and he'd start the next day. His interview with Miss Campbell left him sweating bullets, red in the face and stumbling over his words.

He got the impression that his new boss liked to watch him squirm a little but he couldn't be certain cause he had nothing to compare the experience to.

Her name was Sarah Campbell, and everyone called her Miss Campbell, never Sarah, so he did too. She had ginger hair that she always wore half up and glasses, but he noticed the freckles the most. Her upper cheeks and nose were sprinkled with fair freckles, and her skin was the color of cream. To say he found her attractive would be an understatement. She was the first woman to catch his eye since Cadence walked out and she was completely untouchable. She looked so innocent, sweet and delicate and yet she held so much power.

The new job was at a huge insurance corporation in a tall, downtown skyscraper and he was the new IT man for three different floors that she ran personally. Miss Campbell was a high powered woman, and it was a turn on for him to see the way she'd take command of a situation and lead all the employees under her to meet deadlines and turn out high-quality work so efficiently.

He'd only been there a couple weeks, and he enjoyed his work, he understood computers and everyone praised his abilities. He swiftly became an important member of the company when people had computer issues.

Merle was used to work environments that were predominantly male and very casual. He'd always worked in jeans, and a t-shirt or coveralls; now he was wearing a dress shirt and tie every day.

He'd spent a week trying to learn to tie a proper knot in a tie before giving up and buying a clip-on cause he figured nobody would notice, but Miss. Campbell did.

"Merle?" she called him over the intercom at his desk.

"Yes, Miss. Campbell."

"Can I see you for a moment in my office?"

He felt nervous as he walked down the row of cubicles to her office door. He knocked softly and peaked his head inside.

"Come in, shut the door," she offered with a wave of her hand, pointing to the chair across from her huge oak desk. Her office was beautifully decorated, and he found his eyes drifting over pieces of art, little sculptures, and plants.

He sat down and looked at her, hoping he hadn't screwed anything up.

"You're doing a great job, Merle. I'm hearing fantastic things about you from all three departments."

"Oh...that's great. Thank you, Miss Campbell."

"Your understanding of our web security and coding is of a much higher standard than any of our other IT staff. I was hoping you might be willing to sit down with some of them and give a briefing of how you manage these issues."

"Yes, Ma'am. I'd be happy to."

"Wonderful. Is everything else going well so far?" she asked with a warm smile.

"Great, I'm really happy here."

She hesitated for a moment before standing up and coming to lean on the edge of her desk directly in front of him, and he moved his foot to give her more room.

"I have a small gift for you if you wouldn't mind too much, just a little 'welcome to the office' thing."

It was the last thing he expected her to say and he had no idea how to respond.

"Oh...uh thank you. I don't mind."

"Great. It's just something kinda small, but I thought you might like it."

He waited in silence as she walked to her wall of cabinets and took out a small box and handed it to him.

He opened it up and was surprised to see a tie. A red and black silk tie and it was real genuine silk.

"Miss Campbell...this is a little embarrassing, but I don't really know how to tie these. I never had to wear clothes like this in my old jobs."

"Stand up," she smiled.

She was the kind of woman you just listened to so he stood up, still holding onto the box.

"Come and stand over here just for a second."

She led him to a large decorative mirror and reached around his shoulders from behind him, taking the tie from the box in his hands.

He was sure he wasn't actually breathing anymore. The most powerful woman he'd ever met had her arms around him, and he could smell her expensive perfume right next to his left cheek.

He watched her perfectly manicured nails in the mirror as her hands moved and she gave him easy to follow instructions that he actually thought he'd remember now that he'd watched her do it.

She immediately untied the tie afterward and instructed him to do it for her so she could see if he'd been paying attention. She was only teasing, he could tell by her tone, but he still felt pressure to get it right.

"This probably seems like a strange thing for me to do. I know from your resume that this is a whole new world for you, but you do belong here, and you're doing an excellent job, Merle. I can see how much raw talent you have with IT and I want you to feel valued here with us."

He finished tying the tie, thanking God that he remembered how from her instructions.

She turned him around to face her, and she straightened it with her own two hands.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"I love it...I mean yes, Miss Campbell. Thank you very much for this."

"It was nothing, really," she insisted. "You're an important member of the team, and I want you to feel appreciated. I notice hard workers, and I always reward these qualities."

He nodded, unable to think of anything besides thank you and that was probably getting repetitive.

"Also Merle, when it's just you and me, you can call me Sarah."

Merle didn't know what the hell he'd done to get on her good side, but he really loved her good side. She made him feel off kilter and submissive, he wanted to please her.

"Thank you...Sarah. This is really nice. I guess I should buy some real ties now," he joked, folding up his ridiculous clip on tie and putting it in his pocket.

"I wasn't trying to tease you at all about your tie, Merle. I just saw this one and thought it would look nice on you...I was right."

"I never had a boss like you before," he uttered before he could run it through his mental filter and realize it sounded odd.

"I hope that's a good thing," she smiled.

"It is, definitely."

Merle was called away on an IT emergency just moments later and couldn't stop thinking of her for the rest of the day.

####################################################

 

thanks for reading:) xoxo


	2. Chapter 2

_ **Chapter 2** _

 

When Merle got home that evening, he carefully took off the tie and hung it up in his closet. He turned it over in his hands and looked at the label; it said _**George Neale Neckties, London.**_ Merle shrugged his shoulders cause clothing labels didn't mean much to him. He threw on a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt to meet his brother for a drink at their local watering hole.

Daryl had Carol with him that evening, and they all engaged in friendly chit chat over a couple of beers. Carol was easy to talk to and more than once he had come to her as things fell apart with Cadence. She knew just what he needed to hear and was never too busy to make time for him.

“Are you still liking the new job?” Carol asked him.

“It's really good, my boss is nice.”

Daryl grinned and slapped him on the arm.

“That's right! You have a boss lady now!” he teased.

“She's so smart and fancy and pretty,” Merle rambled. “She gave me a tie today, weird huh?”

“A tie?” Carol asked.

“Yeah, out of nowhere she just calls me into her office and tells me what good job I'm doing and gives me this fancy silk tie. She even tied it for me,” he added, taking a sip of his pint and shrugging.

Carol pulled a face he didn't recognize, half shock and half smirk.

“What?” he asked.

“She bought you a real silk tie?”

“Yeah, and not just some Walmart thing either. It was George...uh..”

“George Neale?” she asked.

“That's the one.”

“Merle, your new boss lady just bought you an $80 tie!”

Daryl spit out a half a mouthful of beer and began to choke.

“It can't be that much! My suits for work don't cost that much!” Merle exclaimed.

Carol giggled to herself and raised her glass to clink with his.

“Looks like somebody's got a sugar mama,” she joked.

“Jesus, Merle! Are you the teacher's pet or something?” Daryl asked.

“No, I'm just doing my job.”

“Well, you're doing something right,” Daryl laughed. “Keep it up!”

_**###########################################** _

When Merle got home that night he kept telling himself that it meant nothing. Sarah Campbell drove a fancy SUV and lived in an expensive high rise condo, $80 was probably nothing at all to her.

Still, he couldn't get the smell of her perfume out of his mind or the thought of her arms around his shoulders.

Her sea green eyes turned him from a big, strong, rough, no-nonsense man to a kid who was more than willing to ask 'how high?' when she'd order him to jump.

Merle got out of his jeans and t-shirt and into the shower to get ready for bed, tomorrow was another workday. He leaned his forehead against the tile, thinking of her orange hair and those damned freckles. He wondered if she had them in other places and if all her hair was red and then cursed himself for thinking like a pervert.

By the time he crawled into bed and set his alarm for work he couldn't resist the temptation anymore, so he gave in to it. Merle closed his eyes and pictured her sitting on the edge of her desk before him, her legs crossed and those glasses, sitting low on her nose.

The fantasy quickly morphed into her laying underneath him and his hands, roaming all over her milky skin. He stroked his dick a little faster, wondering if she was loud in bed or aggressive or submissive. A woman like her probably had a man with a really clever job. A man who made big money, lived at the gym and was athletic and handsome. Merle figured a woman like Sarah Campbell deserved a man like that; she deserved the very best of everything.

Still, he imagined peeling all the layers of her clothing off, kissing every inch of her body and then fucking her mercilessly as she cried out his name....a completely ridiculous fantasy, but it worked on a lonely night like this.

He groaned and came on his t-shirt, feeling only temporarily relieved and pretty silly but he was only human.

#########################################

The next day he arrived at work early to get his head clear before she arrived to work on the presentation she asked him to give.

He decided that daydreaming about his boss would lead to nothing but trouble. She surely didn't mean anything she said or did in an unprofessional way, so he tried to put it to the back of his mind. He fidgeted with his new tie as he composed the information for his assignment.

“Merle?”

He jumped right out of his skin and turned around to look up at her face; she was never in that early normally.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.”

“I'm OK; I just didn't expect anyone so early.”

“You are an early bird today, aren't you?” she noted.

“Just working on that presentation you asked for,” he smiled.

“I knew my instincts were right about you,” she added before walking to her office. The slight sway of her hips as she walked away claimed his attention and mesmerized him.

Merle wished he knew what she was thinking, what her words meant and how to get closer to her. She was like fire to him, hot and fascinating but dangerous.

His new job offered benefits, possible advancement, and a pension and he needed all those things. Changing careers at the age of 30 had left him behind the eight ball in some ways, but he was willing to work his way back up. He felt fulfilled at his job and like he'd found something he was really made to do. He was a little afraid that his crush on the boss lady could mess it all up, he had to stay professional.

He'd been alone for quite some time since losing Cadence, and he wondered briefly if loneliness was contributing to his infatuation but didn't think so. She was just incredible, Sarah Campbell was a vixen.

By the end of the work day, he had held a short meeting with the other IT professionals, and they all drank in the information he gave them gratefully. He understood computers and had a way of explaining it to others that worked well. Merle even read up on computers outside of work; they just made sense to him.

He offered to look over some work for a fellow IT tech named Asma who was also smart and beautiful. His new workplace was a minefield, full of gorgeous and intelligent women but Sarah was the one taking up all the space in his mind.

By 4:30 pm all his colleagues were filtering out for the weekend, and he sat, working at his desk on the issue for Asma until the office was empty.

He wandered to the coffee room for yet another cup of coffee, but he was almost finished for the day and about ready to leave.

As soon as he sat down at his desk, he noticed the light still on under Sarah's door and tried to ignore it as he finished up.

He was just turning off his computer when the boss lady's door opened, and she stood, staring at him.

“Almost done for the week, Merle?”

“Yes, just leaving now.”

“How was the presentation?” she asked, still standing about 20 feet away at her door.

“It went really well, I think. They asked a lot of questions, but thankfully I knew the answers,” he chuckled, grabbing his suit jacket from the back of his chair.

“Come here, Merle,” she said, turning around and walking back into her office.

Merle looked around the floor at all the empty cubicles; even the cleaners had disappeared for the evening. He walked to her door, filling with curiosity at the mystery of Sarah Campbell.

“Yes?” he asked, not actually entering but remaining at the door.

“Do you like the Atlanta Falcons?” she asked, pulling the barrette out of her hair.

Her orange hair fell all over her gray blazer, and his brain just wouldn't function.

“Merle?”

“Uh...yes, I do. Why do you ask?” he finally answered.

She reached into her purse and handed him an envelope.

“I have extra tickets for the game tomorrow...you could take your girl or whoever,” she smiled.

“I'm single...but maybe my brother would come. Thank you.”

“That's good. I'll see you there if you can make it, my seats are right next to yours.”

“I'll be there” he nodded.

A whole football game sat right next to her sounded both terrifying and so exciting he could barely contain it. He had no idea why she'd ask him, of all the people in the world, but it didn't surprise him to be in the dark with her, he was with most women.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

_ **Chapter 3** _

 

As soon as he got home, he called Daryl to see if he was in.

“This is the boss lady buying you fancy ties, and now she wants to watch football with you?” Daryl chuckled.

“She's just gonna be there, she not going with me.”

“But your seats are side by side.”

“Yeah....are you coming or not?”

“Sure, I'll come. I'm telling you, though; she must like you.”

“Daryl, she's the boss, and she's like a fucking model. You'll see how ridiculous you're thinking is when you see her for yourself. She's just really nice cause she likes when people work hard, that's all.”

“Uh huh, so you don't think she wants to jump your bones then?”

“Seriously, you'll see what I mean when you meet her. This woman is all class; she ain't the type to mess with me.”

The next evening Merle put on a white golf shirt and a pair of khakis and then changed. Then he put on a red t-shirt and shook his head. He tried the red shirt with a pair of blue jeans then changed. He decided not to shave his face but then did anyway and then sat down on his couch to call Daryl and say he wasn't going.

“Of course you're going, don't be a goof,” Daryl sighed.

“I have nothing to wear.”

“What are you, a woman? It's just a football game and since when do you care what you wear?”

“It's gonna be awkward as hell, Daryl.”

“Just go and watch the game, she probably won't even say anything to us.”

“You're right; I'm being an idiot. I'm just not used to people like her and all those people I work with. I don't fit in there.”

“You're good at your job, who cares about fitting in? You fit in with me and Carol and your other friends.”

“OK...you're right. See you in a bit.”

They arrived at the game and worked their way through the crowd to the seats assigned to them, and there was Sarah in jeans, a black concert t-shirt, and a baseball cap. Merle was stunned to see her so dressed down, drinking a beer and laughing her head off.

She was sat next to a woman with orange hair similar to hers, and he figured it must be a relative, those red hair genes were strong.

Daryl and Merle came to sit in the empty seats next to them, and she smiled brightly as he sat down.

“Hey, Merle! I'm so happy you made it!”

“Miss Campbell, this is my brother, Daryl.”

Daryl reached out his hand to her, and she rolled her eyes.

“Merle, it's just Sarah here. Nice to meet you, Daryl. This is my cousin, Maggie.”

“Nice to meet you both, thanks for the ticket,” Daryl smiled.

Merle wound up sat next to Sarah by Daryl's design and the game began. Sarah was loud and hollered her discontent at bad calls, and bad plays, she just wasn't having it when the game didn't go right.

Merle was enchanted by a woman as fancy as her being so into the game and yelling the way she was. She was two different women, that much was clear. He found himself watching her more than the game, and she did catch him staring.

“Sorry,” he stuttered.

“It's alright,” she grinned. “I should have warned you I'm insane at sporting events.”

“I think it's great,” he laughed. “I'm just surprised.”

She shrugged her shoulders and laughed sweetly, and he was done for, right then and there.

The game was long, and by half time Merle was sore from sitting and asked if anyone wanted anything because he needed to stretch his legs.

“Can you grab me a beer?” Daryl asked, handing him some money.

“I'll come with you, I need the ladies' room,” Sarah said, getting up to follow him.

He felt her grab hold of his shirt so she wouldn't lose him as they moved through a crowd of people and he loved it.

Merle stood at the counter as she went to the bathroom and dug in his coat pocket for his pain pills.

“You OK?” she asked when she saw him take them.

“I'm fine; it's just my back. It gets sore when I sit for a long time...from when I hurt myself.”

“That's a shame. What about at work? Do you get sore from sitting a lot at work?”

“Sometimes, but I'm OK.”

“You should walk around whenever you need to, and we should get you a better office chair for your back.”

“Oh no, Miss. You don't have to do that,” he insisted. He hoped she didn't feel like he was complaining about his job.

“Merle, I consider it my responsibility to make sure my employees are in a comfortable environment to do their job. I assure you it's nothing.”

“Well, thank you...Sarah.”

She leaned in then and touched his arm, “See? Calling me Sarah isn't so hard.”

She was too much; she had him completely enraptured.

They watched the rest of the game, and she was so into it that he felt like he could cheer a little too.

Daryl watched the whole thing with great interest. Merle's boss was so cool and friendly that she seemed nothing like the fancy, classy lady Merle had described. She appeared to be one of them, just your average cool woman who was even a little cooler cause she loved football and drank like a dude. Daryl couldn't help wondering why she was being so sweet with Merle, she was either into him or had an agenda but what could her agenda possibly be? Maybe he was just too suspicious and protective after what happened with Cadence; maybe she was exactly what she seemed to be. He hoped she was cause he wouldn't stand for another woman walking all over him. Merle was a good man who'd give you the shirt off his own back, and Daryl hated when women treated him badly.

When the game ended, Merle said a friendly goodbye to Sarah and Maggie. He'd had a great time and loosened up around her as much as he could, but it wasn't easy.

“Have a good weekend, Merle. I'll see you Monday morning,” she said sweetly, leaning in to kiss his cheek and he stood there stunned as she and Maggie walked away.

“Daryl, what's happening?” he asked. He didn't move or blink he just waited for an answer.

“I have no idea, man. Seriously, I got nothing. I never had a boss want to see me on the weekend or kiss me, that's for damn sure.”

“You never had a female boss, though. Maybe female bosses are like this?”

“I don't think so. Anyway, let's get going. I have to pick Carol up.”

Merle drove Daryl back to his car and then headed back to his place to get some rest for his back. He ran a tub of hot water with Epsom salts and cracked a beer. He sank into the water and tried to figure it all out, but all he could come up with was that she was just nice and that was good. A beautiful woman being nice to you was a good thing, a confusing thing but a good thing.

His back hurt and he wondered if it would ever stop. He tried to keep up with the physio he was prescribed, but sometimes he wondered if it was helping anyway so he'd skip it sometimes. It had been just another work day when one of the new guys set up the hydraulic hoist wrong, and he'd been pinned under it, cracking three vertebrate in the process. He was just grateful to be able to walk and work again so a little pain was something he'd just live with.

Merle knew damn well he couldn't have a woman like Sarah Campbell, but he felt good around her, nervous but good, and it felt nice to be treated the way she treated him. No woman ever bought him something cause they thought he'd like it and no employer ever offered to buy him something like a chair to make his back feel better. There was something just not real about her; she was too sweet and too accommodating. She had him confused and deeply attracted...she had him in the palm of her hand.

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

_ **Chapter 4** _

 

“So, what was she like?” Carol asked as soon as Daryl picked her up.

Daryl didn't know how to describe her.

“Normal.”

“Just normal?”

“She was really into football, and she was really sweet to Merle...it was kinda weird.”

“It was weird that she was sweet to Merle? That's not nice to say.”

“I don't mean it like that; it's just that he told me she was all refined and then at the game she was really relaxed and normal and I guess it's just odd that a woman with such a fancy job would be after Merle.”

“So you think she's interested?” Carol inquired.

“I'd say so. I can't really figure it out otherwise, but that's a good thing for Merle cause he wants her too.”

“Well, that's good. I never liked Cadence; she treated him like garbage.”

“I know, I hated her too. I was glad she left even if it made him sad. That probably makes me a shitty brother, hey?”

“No,” she insisted, leaning in closer across the front seat of the car. “You're a great brother, she was an evil cow, and he's much better off without her. Maybe this new woman is the one. Merle's a good man, and he's very attractive so why wouldn't she be into him.”

“It's starting to sound like you're into him,” he laughed.

“Hey, if I'd met him first who knows?” she teased.

Daryl wasn't having it, so he tackled her right there in the front seat.

“Take it back!”

“Nope, he's hot shit!” she giggled. “Wanna have a threesome?”

“That's it!” Daryl hollered.

Carol received a tickle torture so intense she couldn't suggest any more naughty things about Merle, and that was exactly the idea.

Daryl loved Merle but Carol was his and even joking got under his skin a little.

_**################################** _

 

 _**Someone told me long ago** _ _**  
** _ _**There's a calm before the storm** _ _**  
** _ _**I know** _ _**  
** _ _**It's been comin' for some time** _  
  
_**When it's over, so they say** _ _**  
** _ _**It'll rain a sunny day** _ _**  
** _ _**I know** _ _**  
** _ _**Shinin' down like water** _  
  
_**I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?** _ _**  
** _ _**I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?** _ **  
** **Comin' down on a sunny day**

 

Merle turned up his music and pulled a deck chair onto the balcony of his apartment to look at the stars. He had no idea what was going on in his life, but he felt happy. He relaxed and sang like a dope off his balcony until the cranky older lady downstairs hollered for him to shut the fuck up.

The rest of the weekend was quiet. On Sunday he went to play some pool with Daryl and received some more teasing about Sarah, but he just brushed it off as ridiculous. On the way home from pool he bought a few more ties and a new pair of dress socks. He never felt like he looked good enough for her but then reminded himself she probably wasn't really looking anyway.

He tried to imagine the man that got to make love to her, and he figured he must be like an underwear model. He'd have a six pack and a fancy car, and he'd tell her pretty things and romance her like a pro. The kind of man she slept with would buy her roses and recite poetry from memory. He wouldn't try to get in her pants at the drive-in or make out with her on the couch, half cut on cheap wine. Merle specialty had always been taking a long walk, ordering pizza at home and doing it in front of the TV. This kind of thing would never fly with a woman like Sarah, and that was OK, they were very different people, and he was just happy to be around her. She may be a football fan who liked her beer but as far a dating he couldn't imagine her settling for anything substandard.

Monday came fast, and he was there on time as always, ready to try to fit in some more. The regular group in the coffee room was discussing renewable energy, and he didn't know what to add to that, so he gravitated to the other side of the room where they were talking about the harm of micro-aggressions. Merle didn't know what that was so he walked back to his desk, groaned under his breath and drank his coffee. Moments like this made him miss being a mechanic. Around this time in his old world they'd be shooting the shit and talking football or hockey, and then they'd all get to work. Nice and simple.

No women would be around to make you feel inadequate, horny or confused.

“Good morning, Merle.”

He looked up and there she was, of course, it was her.

“Good morning, Miss Campbell.”

“My computer it acting up. Did you have time to look at it?”

“Yeah...I can come right now.”

He followed her to her office, and she pointed to her desk top.

“It's running so slowly I can't get anything done. Maybe it has a virus or something...I just don't understand cause it was working fine on Friday before I left.”

She sounded a little lost and younger than normal, and he liked it, it was disarming and kinda cute.

He walked around to the back of her desk, and she moved for him but stayed close.

“May I?” he asked before sitting down at her computer.

“Absolutely.”

He sank down onto her fancy leather desk chair and started going through the obvious things and then went into safe mode, diagnosed the problem and completed the fix for her. It took all of three minutes.

“Should work now. I just restarted it, and it'll be running at the normal speed when it boots back up.”

He got up and walked to the doorway.

“Wait.” she said in a voice he didn't recognize, a desperate kind of voice.

He turned to her, surprised by her tone.

“How did you do it? What was wrong with it?” she asked, looking needy for answers. Just that little touch of vulnerability in her voice had him feeling a hint of bravery, and he decided to try a little joking around with her.

“I could tell you..but if I do then you won't need me anymore,” he grinned.

He was rolling the dice, but he came up with the right numbers cause she grinned back at him and then nodded her head.

“I highly doubt that, but you keep your secret if it pleases you.”

 _Was it flirting?_ He had no idea but he stopped in the doorway, and he could see her in his mind, naked and spread out before him and he knew it was wrong.

“How on earth are you single?” she laughed casually like it was a rhetorical statement that he wasn't actually meant to answer, but he did answer before he could catch himself.

“Simple, nobody wants me,” he chuckled.

She stopped laughing almost immediately and looked him right in the eye.

“Merle...that's not true.”

“It isn't?”

“No.”

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ###########################################  
> I promise this cat and mouse routine only goes on a couple more chapters but I LOVE the teasing slow burn thing....sigh!!!  
> Thanks for reading:) Teagan xoxo


	5. Chapter 5

_ **Chapter 5** _

 

Merle didn't know what to say, and it didn't look like she did either.

 

The door opened behind him then, without warning, and he cursed that they'd been interrupted by a co-worker just when it felt like he was unraveling the mystery.

“Merle, there you are! We need you for that networking...syncing thingy going on,” the man rambled.

“Sure,” he answered, but his eyes were still on hers.

He nodded to Sarah, and she smiled back, but her eyes were different.

Merle went about the rest of his morning thinking of what she said and mulling it over, trying to make sense of it.

Just after lunch, a man appeared behind him as he was sending an email.

“Merle Dixon?”

“Uh...yeah?” he answered turning around.

“We have a delivery for you.”

“I didn't order anything.”

“It's from the department head, just a second.”

A few minutes later he was standing next to his desk, looking down at a chair that looked like it was designed by NASA. She'd actually gone and done it.

He looked around to see if anyone noticed but nobody was paying any attention and he was glad for that. He looked over at her closed door and then figured he might as well try it out. He sat down slowly, and it enveloped his body, actually supporting his back, and he couldn't help but groan. It was the most comfortable chair he'd ever sat on.

Merle closed his eyes and just enjoyed the way it felt. He'd have to thank her, but he didn't think he should be seen in her office every five minutes, so he settled on a nice email.

_**[ Thank you very much for the chair, Miss Campbell. I never sat on a chair this comfortable before. I think it will really help with my back pain. Merle Dixon** _

He figured it was best to keep work emails professional, so he went with Miss Campbell.

Everything about office life was new and scary, and he didn't know how he was supposed to do anything. In his old life if you did something nice for someone else you'd get a simple “thanks, buddy” and move on with your life. Working for a boss as sweet and attractive as Sarah Campbell left him baffled on a daily basis, it was a little exhausting.

She didn't get back to him until later in the day. He could see her racing around the office all afternoon, and he knew she was very busy, so he thought nothing of it. He didn't really expect an answer anyway.

_**[ So glad you like it! I have to keep my best tech man happy:) Sarah** _

Merle liked being treated nicely at work. He could only remember being given a frozen turkey at Christmas one year with his annual bonus and he'd thought it was a big deal.

Toward the end of the day, a man walked into the office and passed his desk. He couldn't help but stare because he looked more out of place than even himself. He had on a leather vest, black jeans and was 6 foot something. He had broad shoulders and a handlebar mustache. His hair was bright orange, and he walked right into Sarah's office without knocking. Merle wondered who the man could be but decided it was none of his business; it did look like a relative though with the distinctive hair color.

The man stayed for about half an hour and then left. Seeing him leave the other way, Merle got a better look at his face, and he looked like the kind of man you don't fuck with, he got the impression that it was her dad.

The end of the day came, and she lingered in her office until everyone left as he was spending a few minutes at his desk talking with Asma. Merle was getting just a little better at speaking with so many gorgeous women, but it had been a slow learning curve. They spoke so fast and expected more than “uh....OK” in return.

He had successfully helped Asma with her issue, so she was grateful. She said that she owed him, but he insisted she didn't.

“You're too modest, Merle. You really helped me.”

“I'm happy to; it's nothing really.”

She spoke longer than he expected about her plans for the evening and a TV show that he didn't watch, so he nodded and smiled along and then she was on her way.

“See you tomorrow, Merle. You're the best!”

“Stop, you're gonna make me blush or something,” he laughed, but he meant it. Compliments like this were new to him.

He shook his head and shut down his computer for the evening and then Sarah opened the door of her office. Right away his heart race and he wanted to grab her and ask her what she meant before. He wanted to know if there was a hope in hell that she might feel it too.

Now she was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved black shirt. She was turning off the lights and pushing her feet into a pair of boots. Then she flipped her head over to pull her hair into a high ponytail, and he could smell the scent of her shampoo in the air; it was too much.

He furrowed his brow at her in confusion but then assumed she must keep a change of clothes in her office. She looked upset, and he needed to know why, he just needed to.

“Oh....hey, Merle. I thought everyone was gone.”

“Are you OK, Sarah?”

Nobody was around, and Miss Campbell just didn't sound right in the moment.

“Not really...I need to get home to the farm. My favorite horse died.”

“Oh...I'm so sorry.”

 _Farm? Horse?_ Merle was lost.

“You grew up on a farm?” he asked, wanting more information. Frankly, he wanted to know all there was to know.

“Yeah. My dad brought my bike down for me and told me the bad news. I won't be in tomorrow. I can do all my important work from my computer anyway.”

Merle wanted to say something to make it better but couldn't think of anything truly helpful.

“Let me know if there's anything I can do.”

“Actually, there is if you don't mind.”

“Anything.”

“Can you just put the updated parking pass on the dash of my vehicle tomorrow? The code for the door is 9-8-4.”

“No problem.”

“Do you want to walk down with me?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

They got into the elevator, and she looked broken.

“How long did you have this horse?”

“Since I was 15, he was beautiful and gentle. He was getting up there but...it still hurts.”

He reached his hand out, against all his better judgment, and touched her shoulder. She looked up and smiled at him, but her eyes were still sad.

When they got to the underground parkade, she headed to the opposite end from where she usually parked and straight toward a motorcycle that made him question everything he thought he knew about her. She had said bike upstairs, but his mind had just instantly gone to bicycle and not motorcycle.

“You're a mystery, Sarah,” he blurted out before he could think of how it might sound.

“How do you mean?” she asked, reaching for her helmet.

“I just mean that I had you wrong, you aren't what I thought.”

She grinned and threw her leg over the seat of the bike.

“What did you think?”

“I don't even know really...I just never met a woman who is so many different things all at once.”

Sarah smiled at him and looked taken aback.

He knew it sounded like kissing up but couldn't help it; she amazed him. She just laughed modestly and asked if he'd ever ridden before.

“Not really, just dirt bikes as a kid. My brother rides, though.”

“Maybe you'll let me take you for a real ride?” she winked, pulling the helmet over her head.

“Yeah?”

She giggled a little and fired up the engine.

“Sure. How about Saturday? Then we could make a whole day of it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“I'd love to.”

“It's a date then. Goodnight, Merle.”

“Goodnight, Sarah. I'm really sorry about your horse...ride safe.”

“I will,” she nodded and backed up. The roar of her bike in the underground parkade rumbled through his entire body as she rode off.

Merle had a feeling he was only just scratching the surface of who Sarah Campbell was and the more he learned, the more he wanted to know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ################################################  
> I know it's a little odd but Abe (Sarah's father) is older than Merle in this. Merle and Sarah are 30ish and Abe is in his early 50s. I just wanted his character as her father in this story so I fudged with ages. Things will be heating up soon...;)


	6. Chapter 6

_ **Chapter 6** _

 

“This woman can't be for real,” Daryl chuckled.

“I haven't been on a bike since highschool I'm gonna look like a total bitch. Can you take me out just for a bit?” he begged.

“You really want me to ride with my brother on the back like my girlfriend.”

“Please?”

Daryl groaned and rolled his eyes, contemplating it.

“You owe me big time for this, Merle.”

Sarah had been gone all day from work and he missed her. She was back home at the farm grieving the loss of her horse with her family. Merle got to thinking that he wasn't going to make a very good impression on a motorcycle if he didn't ask Daryl for a refresher. Daryl had been riding since he got his licence at 16 and knew all there was to know, Merle just never got into it.

Daryl sighed, and Carol laughed herself silly at the idea of Merle taking her usual spot on the back of Daryl's bike.

“I gotta get a picture of this,” she grinned.

“Don't you dare,” Daryl warned.

“I ain't scared of you,” she winked.

Daryl took Merle out to the driveway and handed him the extra helmet as he got on and fired up the engine.

“I can't believe we're doing this,” he winced.

“It's just a ride, Daryl; we're not fucking.”

“Jesus Christ! Don't even say that!”

“You ain't my type, don't flatter yourself.”

“You have 'type' of man?” Daryl asked, looking lost.

“That ain't what I mean; I meant my type is female. Shut up!”

“Get on before I change my mind.”

Merle threw his leg over the bike and held onto his brother by the waist.

“Hey, not so close!” Daryl whined.

“Smile!”

They both turned, and Carol took a picture on her phone.

“You're deleting that!” Daryl growled.

“Nope,” she countered.

Daryl grumbled, shook his head and pulled out of the driveway.

He headed immediately to the highway to get away from as many humans as possible and picked up speed. Merle clutched a handful of his coat cause Daryl didn't want to be held and he was afraid he was going to fall off the back.

Daryl took a few tight corners to get the fear out of him and then pulled over on a grid road for a break.

“You good now?” he asked.

“Better, thanks. I just don't want to look like a pussy around her.”

“Seems like she'd pretty into you,” Daryl noted, lighting a cigarette.

“Sometimes it feels like she might be and then other times I think there's just no way.”

“You wanna give it a try?” Daryl nodded to his bike.  
“I'll get myself killed.”

“You used to ride dirt bikes as a kid; you'll be fine. Have more faith in yourself, brother.”

It was a barren grid road so he figured he'd give it a go. It turned out he still remembered the basics even if he was a bit hesitant and rusty as hell. He hung out with Daryl for another hour just shooting the breeze and riding and he was grateful to have him to boost his confidence. Daryl assured him the there was no reason she shouldn't want to be with him and that he had as much of a shot as anyone else.

“What do those high-class men have that you don't?”

“I could write you a list,” Merle chuckled.

“If the right things are what matter to her then you got nothing to worry about. If she wants shit that don't matter, then you don't need her anyway.”

“I didn't know you were a philosopher, Daryl.”

“Shut up.”

“Just kidding, thanks.”

“Don't mention it,” Daryl laughed. “Let's get go shoot some pool.”

“Alright.”

_**#################################** _

Friday finally came and she had been so busy with a big account that he hadn't spoken to her very much, he didn't even know if she remembered what she said about Saturday. They certainly had no detailed plans in place yet.

She had left him a few emails throughout the week, asking if the chair was helping his back and another thanking him for helping Asma.

He figured it was forgotten about until Friday at 4 pm when she asked him to come to her office via the intercom.

“Yes?” he asked, standing at her door.

“Hey, Merle,” she smiled. “What a week! I've hardly sat down at all. Are we still on for tomorrow?”

He felt so excited inside that it was hard to contain.

“Sure...yeah.”

“Great. I'll pick you up at 9 am if that works.”

“Do you know where I live?” he asked.

“It was on your resume, I'll find ya,” she nodded.

“Sarah?”

She was moving around her office quickly, putting things in a laptop case and getting ready to leave but she paused to answer him.

“Yes?”

“Is it OK for us to see each other on the weekend?”

“I'm the boss,” she grinned. “I decide what's OK.....wait, are you alright with it? Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“No, I just never spent time with a boss outside of work before.”

“Well, that makes two of us. I've never spent time with an employee before, besides that Falcons game.”

“Then why now? Why me?”

Her expression looked as if he had put her on the spot and he felt bad.

“Never mind, I'm sorry...you don't have to answer that.”

“No, it's OK.”

She came closer and threw her bag over her shoulder as she stopped just in front of him.

“I like you, Merle. I feel like I can talk to you...like I can relate to you. I'm not really who people think I am around here. I feel like I'm playing a role sometimes.”

It made sense to him. She was one woman, playing two different characters.

“I think I understand.”

“Good. Walk me down?”

He nodded, and they got onto the elevator together. Sarah held the strap of her bag over her shoulder with one hand and out of nowhere she touch his fingers with the fingertips of her other hand as it hung naturally at her side.

He looked down at her, just as a reflex, and her eyes were sparkling up at him. His gaze drifted down her body to her hand, and she brushed his fingers again with her own, and he smiled.

“Do you want me to stop?” she asked.

“No.”

She walked out of the elevator when they reached the basement and over to her SUV. He walked along with her just for more of her words and more of her attention; he craved it.

She opened her trunk and tossed her bag in and looked at him with a soft smile.

“So I'll see you in the morning then?”

“Yeah...definitely.”

“It's going to be a great day, I can't wait,” she grinned. “Thanks for agreeing to come.”

“I'm looking forward to it. I like being with you, Sarah.”

She leaned in then and hugged him. Merle never knew he could feel so much from a hug but it was very powerful. He lay his hands on her back and her hair was only inches from his mouth...he never wanted to kiss anyone more.

She hugged him for longer than was natural and he loved every second of it. When she did finally drive away, he could feel his desire for her burning through his body.

That night he paced the floor of his apartment trying to think of something clever to say or do the next day to let her know how he felt. A whole day with her sounded like heaven and he wanted her to know how much he appreciated her time and attention.

It was midnight before he fell asleep and all he could think of was the open road and Sarah Campbell being so close to him, he was excited like he never thought he could be again.

 


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7** _

Merle was up at 7 am and in the shower trying to calm his nerves with some loud music; the cranky bat downstairs would just have to live with it. He put on a pair of black jeans, an undershirt and a flannel over that and hoped it was OK.

He had no appetite for breakfast but made himself eat some cereal at his little, second-hand kitchen table. He really needed to buy some decent furniture, but his frugal side said it was only him there, so why bother wasting the money.

He brushed his teeth and stood in front of the mirror scrutinizing himself for ten minutes and put on some cologne as he waited for her to arrive. He didn't want her to come in and see his horrible apartment, so he kept an ear out for her bike. When he heard her pull up out front, he took a deep breath and ran down the three flights of stairs to meet her at the door.

"Hey, Merle. I'm sorry but can I please use your bathroom before we head out? I had one too many cups of coffee this morning."

**_FUCK!_ **

"Of course...it's a bit of a mess, though," he rambled on the way back up the stairs.

His place was a dude apartment, not a total pigpen, but not pretty either.

He unlocked the door and held it open to her.

"I live alone so...yeah."

Sarah walked in and headed down the hall to his bathroom. She was in and out in only a minute and drying her hands on the ass of her jeans as she walked back to him. He was instantly embarrassed.

"Damn it! I don't have a towel in there, do I? I'm sorry."

"Relax, I'm not a bathroom snob," she laughed.

He followed her down the steps and out the front door to her bike, and she handed him her extra helmet.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"It's a surprise, do you have the whole day free?" she asked.

"I'm all yours," he shrugged with a smile. She could take him anywhere and everywhere.

She threw her leg over, fired up the engine and turned to him as he lay his hands on her shoulders and got on behind her.

Merle didn't know what to do with his hands until she told him to hang on tight.

"I've been told I'm a speed demon," she grinned.

She had on jeans and a t-shirt with a leather jacket on top, and she looked casual but so sexy. Her red hair was coming down her back from under her helmet, and it smelled like some kind of flower he couldn't place. He reached his hands around her body, and she took off down the road toward the nearest highway on ramp.

She rode very differently from Daryl; she was aggressive and fast as hell. She wove through traffic and took tight corners, and he found himself closing his eyes a few times and clinging to her out of blind fear.

Sarah took the highway north out of Atlanta then headed Northeast.

"You OK?" she hollered back to him.

"Yeah, I'm good."

She picked up speed then passed another vehicle, scaring the shit out of him again.

Eventually, she stopped at a gas station for a bottle of water and took off her helmet for a minute.

"How's your ass?" she asked.

"Huh?"

Surely he had heard that wrong.

"When I don't ride for a long time my ass gets sore really fast," she laughed.

He laughed along with her and nodded.

"I'm OK so far."

She handed him her bottle of water, and he took a sip and handed it back. It was childish, but he got a cheap little thrill from sharing her drink.

"You ready to get back on the road?" she asked.

"I still can't figure out where we're going," he said, putting his helmet back on.

"I think you'll like it. Don't you like surprises?"

"Never used to but I'm starting to really like surprises."

They rode on, and he trusted her, but frankly he was already having a great time just being close to her, so he didn't mind where they went.

When they finally stopped again, it was at a beautiful lake he'd never been to, and it was just around lunch time.

"This is beautiful," he said, getting off the bike and looking out over the water.

"It's Lake Hartwell. I came here all the time as a kid."

She looked lost in the moment, not a fancy business lady at all, just a woman reliving something nice in her mind. Her hair looked even brighter red in the sunshine, and he watched the wind blow through it.

"Thanks for bringing me here."

"I hope you didn't have something better planned today. I really wanted to come out here, but it's a lot nicer with good company."

"This is the best way I can think of to spend a Saturday."

"You hungry?" she asked.

"Kinda."

"I know a great place," she winked.

They ended up at a greasy little concession and shared onion rings and burgers. Sarah bought some more water and asked if he wanted to walk a trail around the edge of the lake. He didn't believe where he was or what was happening; it was like a dream to be alone with her.

She held her bottle of water in her hand and walked a few steps ahead of him down the trail, and he wanted to ask her why she wanted to be with him and why she was being so nice but couldn't think of a way to word it.

She stopped at a giant flat rock near the water's edge as mid-afternoon approached to drink some water.

She looked deep in thought for a few minutes and then she turned to look back at him.

"You're exactly who you appear to be, aren't you Merle?"

It really wasn't a question; it was more of a statement.

"I try to be."

"I can tell that you are. There's no pretense about you...you're genuine."

While he was trying to place what she meant by pretense, she smiled with the sun behind her and her hair shining red in the light.

"I'm just me..." he shrugged. He had no idea what to say to such a thing. It was a compliment, he could tell that much, but he wasn't used to it.

"Just you is pretty awesome, Merle. I've had some not so great experiences with disingenuous people, but I feel like I can be myself with you."

"You can...you don't have to change anything at all for me."

"I just don't feel like I can be like this at work...I have to be some kind of intimidating dragon lady just for them to take me seriously. The few times I've tried to be lenient I just get walked on."

"I had no idea...you've been so nice to me."

"Cause I know I can be...I know you won't take advantage of it."

"But how did you know that before you even knew me?"

"From your resume and your interview. You're blue collar just like me when I started out there. Like all the men in my family and all the friends, I grew up with. I'm still that girl underneath it all."

"I can see that," he smiled. "Why do you stay doing what you do?"

"I do enjoy the work, and I'm good at it, also I like to be able to help my family out financially."

"Makes sense."

"I just wanted to get closer to you cause I know you're like me. I need someone I can be myself with, someone who accepts the real me."

"You can always be yourself with me, Sarah."

She smiled then, a big smile with the sun in her hair and he felt euphorically happy just in that simple moment. He felt completely connected to her. There was every chance that all she wanted was his friendship and as far as he was concerned she already had that but he wanted to give her so much more. A soft place to fall, a shoulder to cry on, someone to pick her up when she needed it. He wanted to make her laugh till she cried but also to make her moan in ecstasy.

Sarah seemed to be kind of fragile after her long and hectic week at work, and when he came to sit next to her on the flat rock, she leaned her head on his shoulder. He figured he had nothing to lose and so he put his arm around and to his delight she snuggled in against him and relaxed completely.

"I needed this...I really like you, Merle."

"I like you so much the word like doesn't really cover it," he answered. He wasn't quite brave enough to kiss her, but he did turn his head to press his lips to her beautiful orange hair, and it almost killed him.

The ride back was long, and he leaned his head against her when his back started to ache.

"Sorry...my back is getting a little sore," he hollered to her over the engine.

"It's OK," she yelled back.

She stopped outside his apartment, and he stretched his back, reaching for his toes and groaning.

"I went and crippled you, Merle. I'm sorry."

"Some days are more than worth crippling yourself for," he smiled. "I'll be fine. I just need a long soak, and I'll be right as rain."

"Next time we hang out we'll do something else."

"Anything you like."

"Have a good Sunday, Merle, and thanks so much for coming."

"It was my pleasure, see you Monday."

He leaned in to give her a quick hug and then started to walk to his apartment. When he got there, he turned to see she hadn't moved yet.

"Merle...could I call you sometime?"

"You can call me anytime, Sarah."

She smiled sweetly and nodded and then she was gone. He was sure of it now, there was something there, and he couldn't wait till she was ready to take the next step...he could feel it coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES! I'm pulling the trigger on these two in the morning. Chapter 8-9 is D-day.  
> I just LOOOOOOVE this teasing, cat and mouse shit;) and I want to establish a real connection between them cause it makes everything else more fun when we get there.


	8. Chapter 8

_ **Chapter 8** _

 

On Sunday, Merle was fucked. He lay on the couch all morning with a sore back, but he didn't regret a single second of Saturday. He flipped through the channels, replaying her voice, every single touch, and her smile. It was still unclear what was going to happen, but he held onto hope that whatever was holding her back from him would be solved soon.

He was dozing off on the couch when Daryl called and startled him.

“Yeah?”

“Hey, man. How was yesterday?”

“It was great; she's...amazing. I'm fucked right up today with my back, but I'll survive.”

“You dog! Did ya nail her?”

“No, you bonehead! It's sore from the ride; we went all the way to Lake Hartwell.”

“That is a long way. So what's the deal with you and her now?”

“Still not sure. I'll just sit and wait for her to spell it out for me,” he laughed.

“Speaking of women, I saw your ex at the mall.”

“So?”

“She was asking about you, so I told her how awesome your life is now and what an amazing job you have and that all the ladies want you just to piss her off.”

“She wouldn't even care,” Merle chuckled.

“I don't know; she looked really jealous when I mentioned other women. Looks like she's still single.”

“It doesn't matter to me, Daryl. I'd rather be alone than with her again.”

“I know. I'm just saying there's nothing like your ex-feeling like a moron cause they let you go.”

“I guess so. I know she did the right thing, though.”

“I'd never let you take that bitch back anyway.”

Merle was too embarrassed to tell Daryl that she had come around recently to fuck him and then leave him the very same night, he didn't even want to think of it anymore. Normally he told his brother everything but he knew how much Daryl hated her and he didn't want to hear what an idiot he was, he already knew it had been stupid. Cadence was staying firmly in the past now; he wouldn't let her mess with his life anymore. He hadn't seen her since that one night weeks before, and he never planned to again.

“Talk to you tomorrow, man. Take care of your back. Do you still have meds for it?”

“Yeah, I'm good. Thanks.”

Merle hung up and felt no satisfaction that Cadence was jealous or regretful, he couldn't care less. He spent the rest of the day on the couch, thought more about Sarah and then turned in early. Monday always came so fast.

When Merle got to work the next morning, Sarah looked a little stressed but especially pretty. She was wearing an emerald green dress shirt that made her hair look even redder and a dark gray pencil skirt with high heels, and he raised his eyes every time she walked passed but kept on working hard cause he knew she liked that. He couldn't shake the desire to please her.

The day moved along as it always did and Merle continued to think of his arms around her; it's all he could think of. Thinking of her all the time was starting to drive him crazy.

He ended up having a busy day and was even called to a floor he'd never worked on because they knew he'd know how to handle the problem. It felt great being the one people turned to. Everyone was still being so nice to him professionally even if he didn't quite fit in socially.

At the end of the work day, he lingered around his desk as everyone was leaving just waiting to say goodbye to her. He wanted to see her smile again before he went home for the night, but she wasn't coming out, and then he heard her exclaim, “Damn it!”

He walked slowly to her door and found her hunched over her computer typing with great frustration.

“You alright?” he asked.

“No...I think I just deleted a document by mistake!”

Her eyes pleaded with him to fix it, and he hoped he could.

He walked around her desk and sat down on her chair to look at the issue.

“I just wanted to save it on this flash drive to take it home, and I don't know what the hell I did cause now it's gone,” she explained.

Sarah handed him the flash drive she was referring to and leaned over his shoulder as he began to type and search for her lost document.

He located it quickly and plugged in the flash drive to transfer it.

“You want it to stay on your computer as well, right? You just want a copy on the flash drive?”

“Yeah...oh my god, Merle, thank you!”

He looked up at her and smiled.

“It's my job, right?” he chuckled.

“You're such a blessing! Seriously, every time I need your help you come through for me.”

Her eyes were saying so much more than her word, and he could feel his heart throb for her deep in his chest.

“I'm right here whenever you need anything,” he nodded.

Merle felt her hand come to rest on his back and her eyes were sparkling in a funny kind of way. Time seemed to screech to a resounding halt, and he waited to see what was coming next. Her eyes stayed on his but her hand slid across his back to his shoulder, and she licked her lips quickly.

_**What does this mean? What's happening? What do I do?** _

She took a step closer, her waist right at his eye level, and he looked at her body then. He couldn't help himself. His eyes moved from her face, down to her thighs and then back up to her face and he needed relief, he needed answers.

“Merle...”

“Yeah?”

Then it happened. She leaned down slowly, and her hand moved to the back of his head as she lay a soft, slow kiss on his lips. It was so unexpected, sweet and perfect. Merle felt like a kid in that moment, full of hope and excitement. His eyes opened just enough to catch a glimpse of the freckles across the bridge of her nose and then he closed them again to take in the moment fully.

When she pulled back, she looked so guilty, but he was grinning like a fool up at her pretty face. He reached out to touch her shoulder, and she stepped back. He cringed in embarrassment, not knowing why she moved away.

“I'm sorry, I just need to close the door,” she explained, and he nodded in relief.

When she came back toward him he didn't need words anymore he just wanted to kiss her.

He stood up as she came closer and held his arms out to her and then she was in them. She kissed him again and this time, with the door closed, and his obvious compliance, it was different.

Her lips were soft and slippery. She had peach flavored lip gloss on, and he knew he'd never forget the taste.

She moved in closer and lay her hands on his lower back, and it switched up the gears in his mind. He could so easily imagine her under him, running her hands up and down his back and it was suddenly much more heated. He took her face in his hands and moved his tongue against hers, needing more of the taste of her. She made a little whimpering sound as he pulled her closer and let one hand come to rest on her hip.

He opened his eyes just enough to anchor himself to reality. An ache began to build inside him that he was quite sure couldn't be fulfilled in her office, so he moved his attention to her neck and used the opportunity to touch base.

“Do you want to stop?” he whispered.

“No...but we probably should...” she panted.

Merle pulled back but kept his hands on her waist.

“I know this is incredibly unprofessional but...can I take you home?”

He was done with the tease; he was more than ready to pull the trigger and try his best to please her.

“Take me anywhere you want.”

_**#############################################** _

_**I am not a fan of the sex cliffhanger so I'm posting chapter 9 as well:)** _

_**Thanks for all the reading and reviewing, it's always nice to hear your thoughts on what I write. You're a very articulate bunch of smut fans and I love you all;)** _

_**XXX Teagan *Mmmmmwwwwaaaaahhhh!** _

_**p.s. Thank you to anons I can't respond to directly:)** _

 

 

 

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

_ **Chapter 9** _

Sarah gathered her belongings swiftly and opened the door casually like nothing was out of the ordinary, but everyone had already gone home.

“They're gone,” she said, looking back at him. “This could make things harder for you at work...you can still back out.”

“No, I can't.”

They walked to the elevator and took it down to the parkade, they both walked so fast it was almost comical. She told him where she lived and he followed her in his car. All the way there he wondered how work would be now but it didn't really matter, he had to be with her.

She drove downtown, and he followed her to the underground parkade where he parked his car in her extra space. Within a few minutes, he was walking through the door to her condo and was dumbstruck.

“Wow!” he exclaimed, looking at the view out the huge glass window that made up an entire wall of her living room. He took off his shoes and walked toward it. They were 21 floors up, and he shivered as he got closer. The glass went all the way down to the floor, and it freaked him out a little. Her home was just as fancy as he expected with art, sculptures and expensive furnishings.

The room was still dark, the only light was in the entryway.

He watched her in the glass as she walked up behind him, like when she had put on the tie she'd bought him. She wrapped her arms around his body, and he felt the heat of her hands on his stomach. His nerves began to give way to deep and agonizing arousal.

He lay his hands on top of hers and then felt her press her face to his back as he closed his eyes. Sarah moved her hands down to his hips, and he turned in her arms.

“I still feel like you have to be the boss of me,” he grinned.

“Not here...I'd prefer it if you were the boss here.”

“Whatever you want, you get,” he insisted.

“I get so tired of being in charge all the time...can you take care of me?”

“Yeah,” he nodded.

She wanted someone to take the lead so she could just relax and enjoy it. It made sense to him. Somehow she saw him in this role and who was he to question the judgment of such an intelligent woman.

He took her face in his hands again and kissed her, they were alone now, and there was nothing to interfere. He slipped his tongue into her willing mouth and kissed her hungrily; he wanted her to be glad she picked him.

Thankfully his need to please her was beating out most of his anxiety about possibly failing.

He pulled her tight into his embrace, let his hands drift down her back and wondered where to take her to get things moving. He decided he'd have to think one step ahead of the game if he was going to be the boss. He couldn't be some bumbling fool who couldn't tie his own tie in her bed, he had to show her more. He had to show her he could be what she needed. He figured if he walked her down the hall they'd come across a bedroom eventually.

Merle moved his mouth to her neck and kissed her light freckles, following them down onto her shoulder and pulling her shirt out of the way as he did. She was falling weak in his arms, and he knew that he had the right idea of what she wanted.

She wanted him to take the upper hand, not to dominate her but just to lead the encounter. He started to undo buttons of her green blouse and walk her backward to the hall, and she kept her hands on his waist, allowing herself to be led.

He took her throat with his mouth and finally got to the last button as she pulled him into her bedroom and turned on a lamp beside her gigantic bed.

“Damn! You got a bed like Scrooge!” he exclaimed, regretting it immediately.

_**Classy, Dixon. Very classy...** _

She had a king sized canopy bed with red curtains; he'd only ever seen this kind of thing on 'A Christmas Carol”.

“Come,” she purred, crawling onto the bed and beckoning him closer.

He began on the buttons of his own shirt and shrugged it off of his shoulders. It was the ultimate high, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen wanted him and he couldn't wait to make her his...no matter how long it lasted or what else life may bring he'd never stop trying to be all she needed.

Merle moved over top of her and looked down into her eyes, those sea green eyes that made him feel so connected to her and yet disconnected from reality. When he looked in her eyes, the fact that he didn't feel he was actually good enough didn't matter anymore. Her eyes made him feel wanted, appreciated and respected.

He slid her shirt open and kissed softly from one side of her neck to the other as she threaded her fingers into his hair.

Merle held his hand on her waist and kissed her through the material of her bra for a long time before taking it off.

She had those pretty freckles everywhere that the sun touched her. Merle had imagined more than once kissing them all, and he was enjoying living out the fantasy.

He was finding his groove and didn't feel so scared anymore, only afraid of disappointing her. He could feel it in the way she moved, she really needed him to take charge, so he went with it.

He turned her onto her side and unzipped her skirt on her right hip and slid his hand down the back to feel her expensive panties against his hand.

“You know how to please me...I can feel it...” she sighed in a breathy, sexy voice that he made his mind go hazy for a moment.

“I'm sure gonna try, honey.”

“Good...cause I need a real man, not some pretty boy who doesn't know what he's doing.”

“I wanna be your man, Sarah,” he stated plainly, squeezing her ass cheek in his hand and pulling her against him.

He ran his fingers through her hair and let his other hand wander down inside the front of her unzipped skirt. The aim was to see how much he could make her want it first, to draw out the experience as much as he could. He was a little shy, awkward or even bashful in conversation but he knew what he was doing in bed. Knowing she wanted him chased the fear away and he felt his mind being floaded with healthy male ego. He knew if he was going to be her man he had to show her that he could handle the job and he considered this his second interview.

His fingers moved against the warm, moist material of her panties and she closed her eyes tight, moaning under breath.

Making her react this way was better than any drug, all the money in the world or anything else he could think of.

Soon she seemed to need more so he got onto his knees at her feet and pulled the skirt slowly down her legs.

Sarah looked up at his face then, her fair freckles and pale skin looking so inviting to him. Her red hair was spilled all over the pillow, and he wanted to save the memory in his mind somehow. Her breasts were small but the sexiest he'd ever seen, and he bent down over her body to taste every inch of them.

“I wanted you like this since we met,” she whispered, holding his head tight against her. “I just can't fight it anymore.”

“Me too, you have no idea how much I've thought about you,” he insisted, taking her behind the right knee and pulling it up and around his hip. He thrust his body smoothly against her panties, and she whined softly.

“Take off your clothes,” she said in a hushed and desperate tone that he could well get used to.

She sat up and watched as he backed his way off of her huge bed. His hands made short work of his belt, and he looked up at her face for a second as he dropped his pants and boxers to the floor.

“Jesus Christ, Merle!” she exclaimed.

“What's wrong?” he asked, feeling panicked that she didn't like what she saw.

“You're...big...” she grinned.

He looked down at his body, confused to hear such a comment.

“Huh?”

“Come here,” she purred, and he happily crawled back onto the bed and toward her.

Her hand was on him in a heartbeat, and he growled under his breath at the sensation of her little hand stroking his painfully hard dick. She kissed him and moved in close, driving him out of his mind and jerking him off with wild enthusiasm.

Merle kissed his way down her body all the way to her knees and then slid his arms under her thighs to get up close and personal with her wet panties. He could see the need in her and wanted to give her the very best of what he had.

He kissed up her inner thigh and finally made it to the elastic of her panties and pressed his lips to the wet silk.

“Oh god...I need more...”

He slid her panties out of his way for just a few seconds to taste her and she shuddered against his mouth. She whined again for more, and he decided to go all out for her.

He stripped her underwear off and tossed them over his shoulder, making her giggle. Just like he suspected she had light blondish-orange hair, and it looked so damn good to him. Merle loved when a woman looked like a grown up and maintained some hair, he'd never been into the hairless cat look.

He dove down into her heat and spread her legs wide in the process. He loved to do this, it had been ages, but he loved it. He lay soft kisses all over her lips and then licked slow enough to make her squirm.

“God damn it!” she hissed.

He grinned and pressed his tongue into her a little deeper and her knees pressed against his arms.

“You OK?” he asked.

“I'm gonna to cum too fast,” she confessed.

“You cum when you have to, and I'll happily do it again whenever you like,” he winked, dropping his head down between her thighs again.

He wrapped his arms around her hips and held her waist in his strong hands and then licked side to side across her open lips.

“Fuuuuuck, I knew you'd be a real man in bed...I just knew it,” she moaned.

He slid a finger into her, and she began to pant heavier. He got a few more minutes out of her before she started pleading for completion. Merle squirmed his big hands under her ass and tilted her hips upward till he was licking her as if drinking from a bowl in his hands. He lifted her hips just an inch or so off the bed with her heat aimed right at his mouth. He was on his knees like he was praying to her like a goddess. Her legs fell wide open, and she surrendered to him completely.

“Jesus, Merle....I...it's soooo good!”

He slid his wet lips over hers repeatedly as she ran her fingers through his short hair. He knew he'd love the taste of her; she was sweet, salty and addictive.

His tongue traced delicately up and down her throbbing wetness, and she was starting to crack.

“I want you, Merle...I want you right now.”

Merle let her legs down and moved back over her. He took her hands, raising them over her head onto the pillow and kissed her deep and long, teasing her with just the tip as she moaned against his lips.

“Give it to me, Merle...please...”

“Thought I was the boss here?” he grinned.

“Condoms are in the nightstand,” she informed him cause she was apparently growing impatient.

She motioned with her head to the side of the bed, and he took care of the responsible side of sex in a flash and went right back to teasing her.

She whined and lifted her hips, trying to make better contact with his deadly erection. He was only human, so he proceeded to give her what they both wanted. Teasing was not something he could keep up with her, she was too hot to resist.

“Oh....damn...Mmmmm....”

Sarah's back arched off the bed, and he licked at her exposed throat as he thrust nice and slow into her.

“Jeeeesus...you can be my boss anytime,” she moaned, and he never felt so virile or desired.

He brought his mouth to her breasts and never stopped slowly fucking her as he closed his hot mouth around her entire nipple.

She was close, and he could feel it coming. Merle moved one hand between them to just add a hint of pressure against her clit and then she fell apart. He came back over her as she climaxed and buried his face next to her ear to take in the blissful gasping and whining as she let loose.

The pressure of her orgasm on his dick was more than he could take and he came hard, growling and digging his fingers into her hip.

“Oh god, Sarah! Mmmmm....” he groaned, thrusting harder as he let go.

##################################

Merle had her wrapped in his arms and kissed the side of her neck as she lay there, grinning in the dim light catching her breath.

“Will you stay the night?” she asked, sliding her hand over his against her chest.

“I'll stay as long as you like,” he answered, snuggling his face into her hair. He couldn't get enough of her. He knew definitively that nothing on the face of the earth could compare to the feeling of her in his arms and that he'd do everything in his power to keep her there.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to wait until after they got together to see the perscpective of Sarah herself. I wanted to show Merle's confusion with her how mysterious she is to him and couldn't do that while showing her side of the story. Now that they are together it will drift back and forth between them in terms of POV. Thanks for reading. I'm posting another chapter in the morning. XO Teagan

 

**Chapter 10**

 

Sarah woke up first. She looked over at him in her bed; his head on her pillow and she smiled. He was snoring softly, and she grinned at his open mouth and the way his face would twitch occasionally. He was so sweet and yet so damn sexy too.

She'd been wanting to find a man just like him for a long time, but all she seemed to find were high-class creeps who had no soul. Right from the interview, she knew Merle was different. He was completely disarming and genuine, there was absolutely no pretense about him. She had tried to stay away but found excuse after excuse to get closer to him.

Sarah couldn't help trying to get his attention and felt compelled to make him feel cared for, she'd never cared what kind of chair anyone sat on before, but his sore back bothered her.

Sarah had felt it was an abuse of her position to take him into her bed but she wanted him too badly to resist anymore, and he'd given her more than she thought possible, so she wasn't planning to let him go. The way he took the lead but didn't try to push her around was perfection. It was a fine line, the way she wanted it, and he got it just right. She didn't take kindly to being given orders, she just wanted a man like him to take the lead and make love to her without messing around and playing games.

Her last boyfriend had only wanted the professional side of her and not the other, more real side. Unfortunately, this kind of thing was common with the men she ended up around through work. A farm girl at heart who cursed at sporting events was not what they were looking for.

Merle began to stir, so she came in close and kissed his lips as he opened his eyes. He smiled at her and rolled over to take her in his arms, burying his face in her neck...she loved the way he touched her.

“Good morning,” he uttered in his gravely morning voice.

“Very good morning,” she grinned. “We better get up for work, though.”

“So how do you want to handle this...are we breaking the rules?”

“Actually there's no policy about it, but it's probably frowned upon. If we tell people about us, it could just be a pain in the ass, but it's up to you. I won't ask you to hide anything if you don't want to.”

“We could just keep it quiet for now maybe. So you do want to be with me then?”

“Of course I do. I may never let you go after last night,” she laughed.

“I never mentioned this to you, and I don't know if it matters, but I was engaged last year.”

“I don't think that matters. Your past is your own business, it's OK.”

Sarah kissed him again and then hopped out of bed to get ready for the day. He watched from her bed as she went into her adjoining bathroom to take a shower. It was a dream come true being invited into her life.

She made him a quick breakfast of toast and coffee, and they headed out the door to get to work on time.

She kissed him before getting into her vehicle, and she hoped everything would go smoothly. Sarah could really see them being happy together the way her parents were. She wanted real love with actual respect and acceptance.

“See you at work,” she grinned.

“Yeah...that was a really amazing night for me, Sarah. I want you to know that.”

“Me too, hopefully, it's the first of many.”

“I will be if I have any say,” he laughed.

Merle got in his car, waited for her to drive out ahead of him and shouted “Yes!”

He was so excited he could hardly keep it in, but he'd have to if they were going to keep what they had private.

The day went smooth, and he managed to focus on work enough to not arouse any suspicion. Nobody noticed he had on the same suit as the day before and he worked extra hard to stay under the radar. Only a few times did he look up at her door and smile. His one real work friend Asma ate lunch with him in the lunchroom and chatted about computer stuff. Merle liked people turning to him for information, everything going on in his life was making him feel better about himself than he had in years. He wasn't Cadence's work donkey anymore; he had his own life, and it felt great.

Near the end of the work day, Sarah texted that she had to go out to her family farm that evening but asked if he'd like to come over for dinner the next night. He accepted immediately and asked if he could bring anything.

_**~ Just a bottle of red wine. I'll make you lasagna, it's my specialty** _

_**~ Sounds perfect, everything with you sounds perfect.** _

_**~ sweet talker;)xo** _

_**~ it ain't sweet talk if I really mean it** _

The work day ended, and he took the long way home to enjoy some tunes and then stopped by a liquor store. He asked what was a nice wine to have with pasta and shelled out $40 for a decent bottle he though might impress her.

Daryl came over to hang out for a while that evening and got the full report on him and Sarah. He had to tell someone cause it's the best news he ever had.

“So, you're laying the blocks to the boss lady,” Daryl chuckled.

“I really like her, Daryl. She's amazing.”

“That's good. I'm glad you got somebody again.”

“Me too. I'm hoping it doesn't get too complicated with her being my boss...I never did anything like this before.”

“You'll figure it all out, it's probably good to keep it quiet though at least at first. People will just start yapping about you both if they know you're together,” Daryl added.

They hung out all evening until Carol called Daryl home and Merle cranked up some music to enjoy his good mood.

He couldn't wait to have dinner with Sarah the next night, being around her had become a need already. He could handle being alone if he had to but he preferred to have somebody to spend time with, someone to love and he knew he could love Sarah.

He got his dress shirt ironed for work the next day and then crawled into bed, wishing he was with her instead of alone.

Merle rolled over in bed and noticed the light on his phone, notifying him of a call. Apparently, his phone was on mute for some reason.

“Hello?”

“Hi, I tried calling earlier, but there was no answer. Am I waking you?” she asked. Apparently, he sounded groggy.

“No, I'm good. My stupid ringer was off for some reason. You OK?” he asked.

“Yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to hear your voice before bed.”

It was hard to imagine a woman like her needed something so simple from him.

“I'm glad you called. How are your parents?”

“Good, I told them about you, and they said they want to meet you.”

“Really? Wow...I'd love to.”

She really was a farm girl, family was obviously very important to her, and he loved that.

“Not too soon to bring that up?” she asked.

“Hell no, I'd love to meet them. I haven't been on a farm since I worked on one as a teenager.”

“Maybe this weekend then?”

“Sure. I think work is gonna be OK too, don't you?”

“Yeah, I think it's just nice with a new relationship to not have the pressure of everyone's eyes on us. We can make it known to people maybe later, hey?”

“Sounds good to me, as long as I can see you I don't care about none of that.”

“I better let you get to bed now, I just wanted to tell you goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Sarah, sweet dreams.”

“Bring your appetite tomorrow,” she warned.

“I will,” he chuckled.

They ended the conversation, and he lay in the dark smiling and feeling like anything was possible.

 

 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

_ **Chapter 11** _

 

Merle was up and showered bright and early the next day, ready to get moving with his life. He picked up a good cup of coffee on the way to work and was sat at his desk with a smile an hour later as she walked in. Sarah was wearing scandalously tight, black dress pants and a red sleeveless top with high heeled leather boots. She always dressed so nicely and there he was in his cheap suit. It didn't make sense, but he didn't care about that anymore.

He recalled the way she moaned under him, calling out his name, and he knew she didn't really care how he was dressed. She wasn't the kind of women to focus on anything so trivial, and he knew that now.

The head of internet security called and informed him of a new security suite to be installed in hers as well and the other two department head's computers right before lunch, so he ate fast to get to work on it.

He picked up the new software and instructions and headed to her office to let her know he'd need her computer for a while.

He knocked on her door and waited for her to answer.

“Hey, Merle,” she smiled, when she opened the door. “What's up?”

“New security software. I have to install it in all the high ups computers so I figured I'd start with you if you can spare your computer for a little while.”

“Sure,” she grinned, letting him in and closing the door behind him.

Merle sat down behind her desk and started reading through the directions again before starting when he heard a click. He looked up to see what it was; she had just turned the deadbolt on the door.

“Sarah?”

She walked up behind him slowly, lay her hands on his shoulders and bent down to whisper in his ear.

“Are you against a little workplace abuse of power?”

He swallowed hard, thinking of her body in those tight black pants and shook his head vigorously.

“Nope.”

“Just this once...” she whispered. “I swear I'll control myself in the future, but I need to touch you.”

She walked around in front of him and took the papers out of his hands, setting them aside on the desk. She was hot like fire and obviously hurting for him, it completely blew his mind.

She sat on the edge of the desk and pulled him up to stand between her legs. Her tongue was in his mouth in a flash, and she tasted of spearmint, it was intoxicating.

Sarah reached her hand down and touched him through his pants, groping at him desperately. He had no idea where it had come from, but the risk of getting caught made an already exciting situation even more dangerously hot.

He was hard as stone almost immediately, and her hands started on his belt as he kissed her neck. Merle lay his hands on the edge of the desk to keep his balance as she took hold of his dick.

He groaned into her hair, and she started to work him over like a demon. He couldn't help wondering what her end game was, surely he couldn't get her pants off and actually have sex with her in her office.

“Will you do something for me?” she whispered.

“So you wanna be the boss now?” he teased.

“I like the idea of being the boss at work...in the bedroom, you're the boss. Deal?” she giggled.

“I can live with that. What would you ask of me boss lady?”

“Could you...jerk off for me?” she winked.

“Huh?”

“Just for a second, please...it turns me on.”

Merle had never had a woman ask for this, and frankly, he didn't get it, but he'd do anything she asked. He wanted to fulfill every one of her fantasies if he could.

“Uh....yeah sure,” he stuttered, feeling a little goofy.

She stayed sat on the edge of the desk and watched as he took his own dick in his hand. Merle leaned his face into her neck so he wouldn't have to look her in the eye. He started slow but then he heard her moan and saw her lick her lips slowly out of his peripheral vision, and he knew she liked it. Soon he was really going at it, and she stopped him long enough to hop off the desk and sit down in the chair. She took him swiftly into her mouth, and he couldn't get his head around it. She was so beautiful and classy, and now she was sucking his dick like she was thirsty for every drop of his inevitable cum.

She looked up into his eyes once as she moved the tip of her tongue over the very end of his dick and he hissed, letting his head fall back. She was incredible, and soon he was trying to warn her to move, but she wasn't having it. She took him by his ass and pulled him deeper into her mouth as he let go and it never felt so good, nothing could compare to it.

It took him a minute to calm himself back down as he pulled his pants up and worked on his belt.

“Jesus...I wish you had a skirt on today. Pants don't make it easy to return the favor, and I _really_ wanna return the favor,” he insisted.

“That was just for you, baby. Perhaps tonight we could work on repayment,” she laughed.

“Just try and stop me,” he grinned.

“I know we shouldn't make a habit of this at work, but I just had to try it once,” she smirked.

“Naughty girl,” he chuckled, “distracting me from my work.”

“My apologies.”

She laughed, and he got to work on her computer before heading off the finish the other two.

He acted nonchalant for the rest of the day and casually nodded to her in the parkade before driving home to get showered and pick up the wine for dinner. Merle wondered if life could stay this good and hoped it would, he wasn't planning to screw it up with her anytime soon. He knew when to back off and keep his mouth shut at work so he couldn't see anything going wrong there.

He got showered up, had a shave and dug around for his best cologne before putting on a clean pair of black jeans and a dress shirt with the tie she'd given him

He felt like dressing up for once, he wanted to look good for her even if he knew it didn't matter to her. He grabbed his leather jacket and headed for the door, carrying the bottle of wine.

All the way there he thought of her and how perfect it all was. He'd hit the jackpot in terms of women. All the pain and rejection of his past felt far behind him now. There was nobody like Sarah Campbell, and he counted his lucky stars that he'd found her and that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

**#####################################################**

**Thanks for reading! Love ya xoxo**

**Next, it's date night;)..., and it's a doozy. lol**

 

 

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

_ **Chapter 12** _

  


Merle drove downtown and parked up outside her condo. She had left before him so he called her upstairs and the doorman let him in through the front door. They had come in together through the underground parkade entrance last time he was there.

He took the elevator up and knocked on her door; already he could smell something amazing in the air.

She opened the door, and she had on a pretty dark purple dress, and her hair was up. She leaned in to take the wine from his hands and kiss him quickly.

“Come in and have a seat, supper is almost ready,” she smiled.

He took off his shoes as she disappeared into the kitchen where the heavenly smell was originating.

“That sure smells good, Sarah,” he complimented her from in the other room.

“Thanks, it's my favorite thing to cook cause it's easy but still fairly impressive,” she laughed.

He looked out her big glass window again at the city lights and the huge starry sky.

She approached him with a wine glass, and he took it from her asking if the wine he picked was OK.

“I'm sure it'll be great, I'm not a wine snob,” she insisted. “To be honest, I usually drink beer.”

He took a few sips and watched as the lights of an airplane slowly crossed the sky as she worked in the kitchen.

“Can I help at all?” he offered.

“No, it's all done actually if you wanna have a seat.”

Merle never ate so good in all his life. She made lasagna with three kinds of cheese, portabella mushrooms, scallions and green pepper with Greek salad and garlic bread.

“Oh good god! I'll never walk again, honey! That was the best meal I ever had!”

“I'm so glad you like it,” she nodded, taking his plate.

“Been ages since a woman cooked for me...I think it was my mom,” he chuckled.

“I'm kind of traditional like that, I like to cook for a man,” she laughed.

It would take a while to digest, so they sat on the couch to talk for a while.

“Is work still going good for you?” she asked, pouring another glass of wine for them both.

“Yeah, it's good. I think I had the best day ever at work today,” he grinned. “Sorry, I don't think I'll ever stop thinking of that.”

“Good,” she said, leaning in closer to him. “I wanted it to leave a lasting impression.”

“Oh yes, that memory is a keeper.”

“I can't wait to take you to my farm, I think my parents are really going to like you.”

“You're pretty close with your parents, hey?”

“We're a really close family. They keep me grounded to who I really am. All of this is just work related,” she said, pointing around the room. “I needed somewhere close to work where I could have work colleagues over and clients. I used to have a tiny apartment where I didn't feel like a little mouse in a huge cage.”

“Like my place?” he laughed.

“It was a lot like your place, I like a cozy little apartment.”

“It was just the first place I found when I became single.”

“Was the break up acrimonious?” she asked.

“Not too much. I was on disability for a year and went back to school. She got sick of living poor I guess. She just ended it, and that was pretty much it.”

“How long has it been over?”

“We broke up a year ago but...” he paused because he was afraid to tell her, but he thought she should know. “She came back and messed with my head about...7 weeks ago?”

“Oh wow...” she uttered, frowning at him and he cringed thinking he'd fucked it up.

“It's over, though, I swear...I just don't want there to be any secrets between us. I always want, to be honest with you, Sarah.”

She smiled then and came in close to kiss him slow and ran her fingers through his hair.

“I knew I could trust you to be straight with me. I love when my instincts are right.”

“I won't lie to you, I promise I won't.”

She curled up into his arms, and it felt like they belonged together.

“I can't wait to get you out to the farm so you can see the real me and decide if you're really in or not.”

“Stop it, there ain't nothing changing for me,” he insisted, pulling her onto his lap.

Nothing could make him feel different about her, and he had a feeling he'd like 'farm Sarah' most of all cause it's where she felt the most at ease.

Her weight in his lap very quickly started to feel a little too good, and he leaned his head into her shoulder to smell her hair.

“You are the most beautiful thing I ever touched,” he sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“I don't know how but I like you more every single time I'm with you, Merle.”

“Thank god cause I really want you to like me. I wanna make you happy, honey.”

“You do, you make me really happy.”

She turned her face and kiss his lips softly. It was sweeter and more emotional than earlier, and he could feel her feeling it too. He held her in his lap and kissed her lips, treasuring every second of it. How often did a man get to be with his dream woman?

He was still so full, so he had to take some extra time to make her happy before it progressed any further. Her kiss was already intensifying, and he quickly decided to lay her down on the couch under him. She had a nice high sex drive which worked well cause he did too. She was a selfless lover who didn't mind just pleasing him sometimes. He'd never come across a woman who was satisfied by just giving a blow job, but she seemed to get off on getting him off. He moved over her and couldn't resist touching her soft thighs. She was so smooth and pale and gorgeous, he couldn't ever get enough of it.

She was so ready for it already that she was wrapping her legs around his waist, but he was still so full of her amazing cooking. He needed more time before he could actually have sex with her and he knew just what he wanted to do with that time.

His fingertips trail up the back of her thigh, and he grabbed her ass in his strong hand.

“Mmmmm.....that's right, baby, be the boss of me.”

“You got it, honey.”

It was a sexy idea, being her boss, but he knew she didn't really mean it that way. She just wanted him to take the lead, and he was good with that. Merle found that he loved her calling him baby. He never thought he'd want to be called that but coming from her he loved it. Nobody ever made him feel the way she did.

Merle liked to try new things, and he'd thought of something earlier in the day as he was fantasizing about her that could be promising.

“You wanna go to your room?” he asked.

“Sure,” she grinned.

They got up and walked to her room where she all but leaped onto the bed, and he crawled on after her. How she was able to jump after that meal, he'd never know.

Merle lay next to her and started to kiss her again. He slid his hand up her dress and touched her through her panties as they kissed and he found her already warm and wet. She was always in the mood, he'd definitely have to stay in shape to keep up with her.

Merle moved his hand up her dress and touched her through her bra for a few minutes to draw out the whole thing a little but soon he was moving his hand down inside her panties, and she opened her legs a little to allow him better access.

She was nice and wet, and that was necessary for what he wanted to try.

“Merle?”

“Yeah?”

“Why don't you put that tie to good use?” she winked and raised her arms up to the rails of the headboard.

“Damn,” he uttered, getting onto his knees and loosening the tie to take it off.

She looked up at him with a hungry and eager expression and then bit her bottom lip, it was so sexy he could hardly stand it. Merle knelt over her and wrapped the tie around her wrists. He secured it loose enough to the rails that it wouldn't hurt her and then proceeded to kiss her softly before returning to his task. Soft kisses trailed from her neck and over both of her breasts as she squirmed under him.

“Your mouth is mine now, do you hear me?” she moaned.

“All yours, honey.”

He slid his finger inside her slowly and then used his wet fingers to touch her elsewhere, getting her as worked up as he could first. He felt her clit inside her lips, firm and aroused and it drove him crazy knowing that she wanted it, and wanted him. He teased her until she was soaking wet, swollen and whining for more. Merle slid her panties down her legs and knelt between her feet. She looked up at him in the dim evening light of the bedroom with only a beam of light coming in through the open door.

Merle took some time to lick her nipples with her arms held over her head, and she moaned like she'd never felt so good. He had to pull her dress down enough to get to her breasts and teased his tongue over them and sucked softly here and there. Something about her having the dress on was even sexier. He had to uncover parts of her to get to the places he wanted to touch, and it was kinkier that way.

“I wanna try something, you in?” he asked.

“OK...go for it.”

“Lemme know if you hate this,” he prefaced his experiment.

“I'm not into anything anal,” she informed him, and he laughed at that.

“No, it ain't nothing like that, I swear.”

He unzipped his pants and leaned down over her, teasing her with the end of his dick as she began to breathe deeper and slower.

“Mmmm....I know I like this,” she grinned.

“Just let your knees fall right open,” he suggested and so she did. Sarah loved sexual instructions; not demands, but just a man telling her where to put her hand or arm or leg made her so hot. No men ever seemed to get this kind of thing right and were either far too passive or pushy and juvenile.

Soon he had her dress pushed up to her navel and kissed her lower stomach softly as he ran his thumb and index finger with almost ghostly pressure up either side of her firm clit. She was soaking wet, and he knew if she wasn't this would probably feel awful and way too sensitive but as it was she seemed to love it.

“Jesus....” she breathed.

His fingers moved then, down to her vagina for a moment, teasing her and then right back to her clit where he repeated the almost pinching motion but with absolutely zero pressure. He was just drifting his fingertips up either side of her clit until his fingers touched and then repeated it slowly. It was a gentle wave-like motion, and it was unlike anything else under the sun to her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, in a soft voice.

“Do you like it?” he asked, needing her feedback to determine it's success or failure.

“It's....it's fucking amazing....please keep doing it.”

He broke up the sensation by tasting her and fingering her, but he kept going back to the new move.

Sarah never felt anything like it, and she had to know what the hell it was. To her body, it just felt fucking amazing, but she didn't know exactly what he was doing as she lay flat on her back looking up at the bed curtains. Sarah raised her head and watched as his fingers moved up either side of her clit. He repeated it over and over before closing his mouth over her lips, kissing wet and deep. He was the master of this art, and she knew she was in for the best sex of her life with him. Watching what he was doing lit the fuse in her mind, the physical along with the visual was too much for her as she started to cum.

He pushed two of his fingers inside her, and she came hard and loud as he closed his lips around her clit. Her arms pulled against the tie restraining her wrists as she cried out loud.

“Fuuuuuck....Oh....Mmmm....Jesus.....”

  


There was silence and gradually slower breathing for a few seconds before she began to speak again.

“What the fuck? What the fuck?” she repeated to herself just softly as if she was genuinely confused as to what had just happened.

He untied the tie from the bed and kissed her wrists gently.

“You alright?” he asked, with a huge grin. There was nothing quite like leaving a woman baffled and incoherent.

“That was incredible, Merle. I never felt anything like that...did you just think of that yourself?”

“Yeah, after what you did this afternoon,” he chuckled. “That was all kinds of inspiring.”

“You're amazing, baby.”

He curled up next to her on the bed and did his pants back up.

“Don't you want to have sex?” she asked.

“I really do, but your meal kinda killed me. Can you give me half an hour?”

“Sure,” she laughed. “Take all the time you need. You aren't going anywhere, right?”

“Hell no...not till you make me.”

  


_**################################################** _

_**I'm obligated under sexual copyright to give credit for Merle's new move to my husband. The 'very gentle clit pinching thingy move' is the intellectual property of Vladimir and not the fictitious character of Merle Dixon. *rolling eyes like crazy. Thanks for reading. Love ya xoxo Teagan** _

  


  


  
  


 


	13. Chapter 13

_ **Chapter 13** _

 

The next day after work, Sarah had a business dinner to attend, so Merle went over to spend some time with Daryl and Carol in the evening. They were the kind of happy couple you typically envy when you're single, but now that he'd found Sarah it felt better to be around them. Daryl fell for Carol fast and pursued her like a puppy until she became his, Merle didn't get it at the time, but he did now.

He never felt anything for Cadence the way he already did for Sarah, and he knew it was the way he was supposed to feel.

“I'm just gonna work on my bike,” Daryl informed Carol and walked outside to chat with Merle.

Merle took his beer out to the driveway and watched Daryl work on his bike.

“So how's it going with the boss lady?” Daryl asked, not looking up from his work.

“It's serious.”

“Pfft! Already?” Daryl asked, skeptically.

“Yeah...I wanna marry her someday.”

“What the hell? Merle, you gotta slow down and don't dare say that to her already, or she'll drop you like a sack of potatoes!”

“I know that, Daryl. I'm not an idiot. I just thought I could be honest and tell you.”

Daryl sighed and looked up at him.

“You can be honest, I'm sorry...I just don't want to see this fall apart for you cause you rushed it.”

“I didn't feel like this about Cadence. I never felt like this about anybody before, I didn't even know this kind of feeling was real. I thought this kind of thing was just a lie they told you to sell Valentine's shit.”

“You love her, huh?”

“Yeah, I ain't gonna say anything to scare her off though so don't worry about that.”

“At least not yet.”

“I know.”

“Carol wants to meet her.”

“I'll ask her if she'll come meet up for a drink and Manhattan's some night this week. She wants me to meet her parents this weekend at their family farm.”

“Man, you guys are moving fast!” Daryl noted.

“It was her idea.”

“Maybe you're both crazy,” he laughed.

Merle always told Daryl everything, but he couldn't tell him about Cadence. Daryl hated her and Merle just didn't want to listen to it. He had to tell Sarah but there was no reason for Daryl to know, it would just piss him off, and it was almost two months in the past now anyway.

By the time he got back to his place, it was already getting late, so he texted a quick goodnight to Sarah. She returned his message saying she wasn't even home yet and that she was having a miserable time with a bunch of snobs drinking cocktails.

_**~ Just think of the farm this weekend** _

He reminded her.

_**~That was just what I needed to hear:) goodnight, baby** _

_**################################################** _

The remainder of the week went well, and Merle took her to meet Daryl and Carol for a drink.

Afterward, Carol couldn't stop raving about how sweet she was and how pretty she was, and he knew they would all hit it off long term. Around Daryl and Carol she was completely casual, not like 'stressed out workplace Sarah.' Sometimes Merle wondered if her job was worth how stressed it made her but she knew her own mind, and it was definitely none of his business to comment. Some people loved the stress of a hectic job, and if that's what she wanted, then he was more than happy to help her unwind after work.

Sarah seemed to be two different women, living two different lives and she managed both pretty well. He admired her strength and intelligence and the way she could also throw back a shot of whiskey like it was nothing and knew all the words to 'Chattahoochee' by Alan Jackson. He was hers for the taking, and he had no reservations.

Merle was feeling more excited for the weekend all the time.

##########################################

On Friday morning he was sat at his desk, unable to sit still. He had his bag packed in his car for staying overnight at her parent's farm, and he couldn't wait for the workday to end. She'd been busy all day as usual, but he always looked up as she passed his desk and smiled.

By 4 pm she texted him, and he could tell how giddy she was too.

_**~ I'm going to take you quading and out to the pond and show you our animals! I can't wait, baby! XoXo** _

Merle waited till everyone cleared out at the end of the day, everyone left pretty fast on Fridays and went down to the parkade with her as usual.

“So how far is it to your farm?”

“An hour and a half or so,” she smiled, threading her fingers with his and raising up on her toes to kiss him.

Workplace shenanigans were kept to a minimum, but there was the odd kiss, touch and look in her office that would keep him on edge and thinking of her all the time.

Merle drove his car home, and she followed him back because they were just taking her SUV. The drive was long but fun; he played music that she'd sent him in a playlist and he listened to her singing along as she drove.

The farm she grew up on ended up being that idyllic kind of farm you picture in your mind. Green fields, sheep, horses, a garden full of vegetables and flowers, a huge red barn, the whole nine yards. Merle could see why she loved it so much.

“Man, I hope your family like me...I'm nervous as hell right now.”

“They're really cool I swear.”

Merle smiled at her and squeezed her hand. Knowing how important family was to her, he really wanted to make the best impression he could.

They pulled up in the farmyard, and an exhausted looking Great Pyrenees came hobbling toward the vehicle.

Merle got out, looked down at the huge and ancient animal and reached down to pet its head.

“That's Bear,” Sarah informed him. “He's very old...I don't know how much longer we'll have him.”

The dog was gentle and sleepy looking, and Merle was still petting his head when her father Abraham and mother Josephine came out to greet them.

“Come here you,” her father boomed, wrapping her up and lifting her off the ground. “How's my little Sarah-bear?”

“I'm great, Dad!” she answered as he set her back down.

Sarah's mother was quieter and just smiled at them both.

“You must be, Merle,” her father said, reaching out to shake his hand.

“Yes, sir. Nice to meet you.”

Abraham laughed heartily and smacked him on the shoulder.

“Abe will do just fine, I ain't the Sir type,” he joked.

Merle looked at Sarah, and she smiled and nodded, opening the trunk to get their bags out.

“I got that,” Merle insisted, taking them out of the back and carrying them up to her old bedroom. They freshened up quickly and were immediately called downstairs for supper.

Josephine had made a full chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, stuffing, garden carrots and biscuits. Everything looked perfect like it had been made with love.

Sarah sat next to him and kept her hand on his thigh as he tried to get through talking to her parents and his nerves.

“Merle is so amazing with computers, he's the best IT man we've ever had,” Sarah boasted.

“I don't know nothing about computers,” Abe admitted.

“He was also a mechanic as well,” Sarah added.

Merle felt a little embarrassed at all of her compliments and just shrugged his shoulders.

“You ever work on a combine?” Abe joked. “I got one that's gonna cost me thousands in repairs.”

“I could have a look,” he offered.

“Oh no, you didn't come here to work,” Josephine protested as she began to collect plates.

“I really don't mind, Ma'am.”

“You're a good man, Merle,” Abe answered. “Come on, and we'll have a chat in the barn.”

Abraham grabbed two beer out of the fridge and Merle followed him out to the barn, hoping like hell he'd have a clue how to fix the machinery in question.

Abraham turned on the overhead lights and pointed to the combine. It was a colossal machine, and Merle couldn't even place the engine at first. He asked Abraham what it was doing and decided he had a vague idea what it might be. He took off his suit jacket that he was still wearing from work and his dress shirt and got to work in his undershirt and dress pants.

Merle took a sip of the beer and then got to work diagnosing the problem.

“You know, Merle, Sarah is the apple of my eye...always has been.”

Merle got nervous about the direction of the conversation and decided to tread carefully.

“I understand that, Abe.”

“Her last boyfriend was a real piece of work, I didn't like him one bit.”

_**What the hell do I say?** _

“Oh.”

“When Sarah ain't happy, I ain't happy.”

“Of course.”

“You seem to be making her happy, Merle.”

He stopped working then and lifted his head from under the engine cover of the combine to look him in the eye.

“We haven't known each other very long, but I'm very serious in my intentions. I think the world of your daughter and I respect her very much. I won't hurt her, I promise you that.”

“That's just what I wanted to hear, Merle.”

Merle smiled and went back to work, feeling relieved that they'd gotten it out of the way.

Within the hour he found the problem, and it turned out the be a belt that needed to be replaced.

“If you have a John Deere dealership around you could probably get them to FedEx you one, and I could install it for you.”

“You're a godsend, Merle,” Abe joked. “This would have cost me a fucking bomb otherwise.”

“No problem.”

Merle took off the old belt for the serial number and handed it to Abe.

“Yeah, they should have one and if not maybe online? I'll check tonight for you.”

“Thanks a lot for this, son.”

When Merle finally made it back inside, after a long winded chat with Sarah's father, she was eager to get him alone in her room.

“So how did it go?” she asked, peeling off her work clothes.

“Great, he's really nice.”

“I knew he'd like you,” she grinned.

Sarah pulled him into her arms, wearing only her camisole and panties and he held her but kept his eyes on her bedroom door.

“So they're OK with us sleeping together?”

“Oh yeah, it's fine. We are 30, they know how the world works,” she laughed. Her laugh was different, the whole way she carried herself, there was more relaxed and carefree, and he loved it.

“Thanks for bringing me here.”

“Thanks for coming,” she answered, taking him by the hand and pulling him into her old bed.

Something about the moment didn't really call for sex, he just wanted to hold her, and it seemed to be just what she wanted as well. She turned off the lamp next to the bed, and the moonlight came in through the old-fashioned lace curtains her mother had made.

“So what's the plan for tomorrow?” he asked, knowing she'd want to get excited about it all by talking it out.

“First, my mom will make a huge breakfast, and then I'll take you to see the horses and sheep. Then I have to show you the pond and take you quading if we have time before supper. If I know my dad he'll be barbecuing in the evening and then getting the fire pit going,” she rambled.

“That sounds like a full day!” he smiled and kissed the top of her head.

“It's going to be the best...I'm really happy right now.”

“Me too, honey.”

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

_ **Chapter 14** _

 

The first thing Merle heard in the morning was the hustle and bustle of Sarah's parents at 7 am. He rolled over and grabbed hold of Sarah and groaned. On her old double bed, they could get a lot closer, and he loved that. He pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight, he loved waking up next to her.

“Good morning,” she half yawned.

“Let's get outta bed,” he teased, to which she just growled. “Come on...thought you farm girls were early risers.”

Merle slid his hand into the back of her underwear and cupped her ass, eliciting a moan from her that made his blood burn through his body.

He proceeded to turn her toward him, kiss her neck and pull her leg around his hip.

“Damn...” she whined softly. “I can't wait to take you to the pond today.”

“What's so special about this pond?” he asked.

“You'll see.”

They eventually made it downstairs, and he hoped they'd find a chance to get close. The farm was just such a natural, relaxing setting that it made him feel romantic.

Josephine made a huge breakfast, and they ate like kings again.

“Good thing I'm not staying long, Ma'am. I'd need new clothes when I get back,” Merle joked, and Josephine blushed, carrying plates into the kitchen.

Merle looked over at Sarah, and she was ready to get out, and he knew it, but he had a quick chat with her dad first about the part for the combine. The local John Deere didn't have it, but Merle told him he could get the part within the state and have it delivered within the week.

“Thanks a lot.”

“It's nothing, Abe. I can come out and install it if you want, later this week.”

“I'll give it a shot myself, but if I need ya I'll call,” he answered, smacking his upper arm in a buddy-buddy kind of way. Abe smiled, that 'I'm so glad my daughter found a decent man' smile and went about his business.

“Come on,” Sarah winked, leading him out the door.

She walked him to the barn and asked him if he'd ridden a quad before.

“Not really since high school,” he admitted.

Sarah gave him a quick 'how to' refresher, and they took the quads out into the field in the direction of the pond.

They rode over fields and a shallow creek to a fully enclosed pond with canola and wildflowers growing along the banks.

They walked into the enclosed beauty that was the pond and she just melted into it, this was her happy place.

“I haven't been back here in ages. I don't come out here normally when I visit my parents, I'm usually in a hurry. I used to come out here all the time as a teenager, though, to write and think...take pictures.”

“Looks like the perfect place for it,” Merle noted, sitting down against a tree and looking over the scene. It was perfect and secluded, and he could see why it was special to her.

Then it happened. She reached down and pulled her top up over her head and tossed it at him with a sly smile. She undid her pants, and he knew just what she expected from him. In a heartbeat, her bra was being dropped at his feet, and he licked his lips hungrily. She pushed her pants down her legs with her panties, and he knew it was going to be the kind of moment that he'd hang on to forever.

Sarah got down on her knees before him and leaned in to kiss his lips, and he grabbed for her. He needed to touch her, he knew she could heal all his ills and make everything good.

“Come here, honey,” he uttered, pulling his shirt off and undoing his jeans. He just wanted her on him and to get inside her. It was a need so ancient and primal that it demanded to be obeyed and he knew damn well she was right on that same page. The moment was intense and all-consuming. This was no nonsense, no foreplay, 'I just gotta fuck you' sex and he got himself stripped and pulled her onto his lap in no time flat. Sarah grabbed a condom from the pocket of her jeans, and he took care of it quickly so they could get the ball rolling.

She reached down and took his dick, holding it steady as she lowered her body onto his. She wasn't even fully wet yet, her need was almost completely in her mind and heart, but she knew the moment she had him inside her she'd be dripping. He filled her then, and she clung to his body as he clung to hers. He took her head and kissed her deep and hard. In that moment he was claiming her. He loved her, and he knew it, sure as he knew his own name.

Sarah could feel every single inch of him slide into her and she arched her back at the way it felt, his body was made for hers. She rolled her hips in a full, cyclical manner to take in his entire length and then let most of him out again. She clung to his head, and he took her breasts and pulled them to his mouth. She kissed his forehead as he sucked her nipple into his mouth and tease his tongue around it. She moved her hips in such a way that her clit nudged against his public bone and she could feel her orgasm building fast.

“You're so beautiful, honey,” he whispered, laying kisses all over her chest and holding her close to him with both of his hands on her back.

She felt it all over her, the orgasm but also the flood of love and need.

She rocked her hips, holding him so tight and laying her forehead on his shoulder. She turned her head toward his right ear and smile, “You make me crazy, baby...I need you.”

There was nothing, nothing in the entire universe, like the sound of her calling him baby. He didn't think it could ever be topped.

Merle grabbed her ass with both of his big hands and felt the way she moved. Sarah fucked so good it could bring a grown man to tears. She took him to heights of pleasure he'd never seen, everything felt so much better just cause it was her.

The sun filtered through her orange hair, just like at the lake, and it was such a vibrant red. It reminded him of when he was a child, and he'd close his eyes in the backseat of the car. The sunlight would beam against his eyelids and make everything he saw just flashes of red.

He continued to take in the taste of her perfect skin and lick at her baby pink nipples.

When she finally came undone, she was riding him so hard that he had to cum too. It hardly ever happened that you'd cum simultaneously but when it hit she wanted to slow it down, and he wanted to go faster. He held it back just a little while she rode it out and then lifted her to lay her in the grass just at the end to fuck her a little harder for his own release. He came with a guttural moan and a flood of emotion.

Looking down into her eyes, he just knew it was her...everything he ever wanted or needed in life was her.

They stayed for a long time, just holding each other and talking. He loved hearing about her childhood and shared a few little stories of his own; stories about the trouble he'd gotten into with Daryl as teenagers and all the fun times they had.

By the time they rode back to the farm, it was late afternoon, and her father barbecued just like she said he would. She showed him the horses and sheep, and he could see why the farm meant so much to her. They laughed and joked for hours before driving back to the city, and it felt a little like they were married and had just spent time with the in-laws.

He watched her driving home from the passenger seat, and she looked at peace and gorgeous as ever as the sky darkened around them.

Merle found himself wondering what pace the relationship was going to proceed at. He wanted more from the new relationship than he should, and he knew that, but it was impossible for him to not want everything with her. “I adore you, honey.”

She turned and smiled at him like she knew damn well that he really meant 'I love you' but was afraid to say it.

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

_ **Chapter 15** _

 

Back in the city over the next few days, Merle began to feel at ease with work, Sarah, and his future. It could work. Her being his boss didn't stop him doing his job, and nobody even noticed the occasional look that probably lingered too long. They were spending some nights at her house and a few at his; much to his dismay, she liked his apartment.

Being alone with her at the farm and seeing who she was when she felt completely herself solidified everything in his mind and he knew she was the only one for him. Everything falling to pieces with Cadence felt like it had happened for a reason now. The future was all peaches and cream.

 

On Saturday night, the weekend following the farm, he asked her to come over for supper. Merle looked online and decided on homemade chili because she had mentioned that she liked it and it seemed fairly straightforward. He had the music cranked, and he gathered a series of cans on the counter as he was washing a green pepper while drinking a beer and trying to read the recipe off his laptop. He was juggling like a pro and feeling like a king.

 

( _ **Ho!) I've been trying to do it right**_ _ **  
**__**(Hey!) I've been living a lonely life**_ _ **  
**__**(Ho!) I've been sleeping here instead**_ _ **  
**__**(Hey!) I've been sleeping in my bed**_ _ **  
**___**(Ho!) Sleeping in my bed** **  
****(Hey!)**

_**I belong with you; you belong with me, you're my sweetheart** _

**_I belong with you; you belong with me, you're my sweetheart_  
  
_Love. We need it now_  
** **_Let's hope for some_**  
 ** _'Cause, oh, we're bleeding out_**

 _**I belong with you; you belong with me, you're my sweetheart** _ **  
** **I belong with you; you belong with me, you're my sweetheart**

He cooked the ground beef in a skillet and dumped the black beans, baked beans, and canned tomatoes into the pot. He added green pepper and onion to the beef and grinned to himself at not screwing it up. He was excited to see what Sarah would think. Eventually, it was all mixed into the pot with chili powder and garlic, and it simmered, filling his apartment with a great smell that he knew would impress her.

He jumped into the shower and got washed up for her coming over and got dressed in some khakis and a white shirt. He wanted to look nice for her, just for no specific reason cause he knew she didn't care. Merle wanted to be the best he could be for her.

He was wiping the counter off when he heard the knock he'd been waiting for.

“Hey, honey!” he exclaimed but then immediately recoiled from shock. “....what are you doing here?”

“So you do have someone else?” Cadence asked without so much as a hello.

“I got nothing to say to you,” he said plainly.

“Well, I have plenty to say to you.”

“I don't wanna hear it. I do have someone else, and it's working, and we're happy together so just leave me in peace!”

“Merle, I'm pregnant.”

“Bullshit.”

“8 weeks, you do the math.”

His blood ran cold through his veins, and he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. Sarah was going to be there any minute, and his life had just fallen apart.

“You said you were on birth control!”

“It fails you know; it's not fool proof.”

“Apparently,” he shot back. “You didn't want anything to do with me so what do you want now?”

“It's your responsibility too, you know!”

“Fine. When the baby comes, we'll do a DNA test, and I'll pay my fair share and take part however you want with the baby if it's mine.”

“If it's yours? You're a real piece of work, Merle Dixon!”

“You showed up after a year, screwed me and then walked out, and I'm supposed to think it's beyond you to treat sex casually?” he shouted louder than he meant to.

“So you don't want to try again? After everything we had together, that's just the end?”

“You ended it! Are you insane? You think just showing up and saying you're pregnant will change that? I'm in love with someone else now.”

“You're an asshole.”

“I can live with that but you aren't hurting me anymore, you can't hurt me anymore. If it's mine, I'll do what's right, but I don't want you, Cadence.”

She was seething in anger, he could see it, and he didn't care.

“You have to go now. I'm expecting someone,” he insisted.

“Your little girlfriend?” she sneered.

“It's none of your business anymore,” he exclaimed.

“You'll be hearing from my lawyer!” she screamed.

“Yeah, right after you hire one, right? I already told you I'd pay and take part if it's mine. What do you need a lawyer for?”

“I'm going to make your life hell,” she growled.

“You already did that.”

She left, and he slammed the door hard, wanting to punch something but knowing that wasn't his style. He growled and then sat down on the couch to think. Sarah would be there any minute, and he'd have to tell her....he only hoped and prayed she'd understand. He promised he'd never lie to her and he wouldn't, even if it was the worst news he could give her.

He stood up eventually and shook it all out. He cracked another beer and went to stir the chili; he at least wanted to give Sarah a nice meal before the terrible news.

By 6:45 he was starting to get worried. Sarah said she'd be there at 6:30 so he texted her to make sure she was OK.

 

_**~ You OK, honey? I made chili for you, All by myself. Lol** _

 

She didn't answer right away, and then he started to get really worried. Maybe she'd been in an accident; she was never late. He was just turning off the stove and reaching for his coat to go look for her when she finally texted back.

 

_**~ I don't think I should come over tonight. I ran into a woman as I was about to come up and she asked if I was coming to see you. She says she's pregnant, and it's yours, and that you're working things out? What's going on, Merle?** _

 

This was not a texting moment, so he called her instead.

 

“It's not true, Sarah. I'm not working anything out with her. She just turned up at the door and told me now. I didn't know.”

“I can't even think straight right now. I just had a woman I never met come and dump all this on me.”

“I'm so sorry; I never meant for this to happen.”

“Merle...maybe you just need to straighten all this out first. I just feel like I'm in the middle of some unsettled business.”

“You aren't. I told her if it's mine I'll do what's right and pay but I don't love her...I love you, Sarah.”

This was not how he wanted his first 'I love you' to happen, Cadence always ruined everything.

“I'm just confused, Merle. This is so complicated now...I think you should maybe take some time to deal with it.”

“Are you saying it's over? Please don't tell me it's over, Sarah...I need you.”

He could feel his voice catching in his throat; he could feel himself cracking under the weight of it.

“If it's meant to be it'll work out, but she's very angry and honestly kinda scary and I...I just need a few days, OK?”

“Sarah, I love you...please don't do this.”

“I'll call you in a couple of days, I promise. We both just need some time....I love you, Merle.”

She hung up then, and he lost his mind. He cried till his head hurt like a little kid and cursed Cadence for coming back to destroy him.

The night was so long and lonely he thought it would never end and he couldn't sleep. Thoughts of her wouldn't let him rest, and he knew that the memory of kissing her beautiful freckles, the taste of her kiss and the sound of her laugh would haunt him forever if he couldn't get her back.

 


	16. Chapter 16

_ **Chapter 16** _

 

**Love it's hard, I know  
All your lights are red, but I'm green to go  
Used to see you high, now you're only low  
All your lights are red, but I'm green to go**

**I want you  
I'll color me blue  
Anything it takes to make you stay  
Only seeing myself  
When I'm looking up at you  
I want you  
I'll color me blue  
Anything it takes to make you stay  
Only seeing myself  
When I'm looking up at you**

 

_~ BLUE Troye Sivan (ft. Alex Hope)_

 

_**#####################################################**_

 

Merle needed someone to talk to, but he couldn't call Daryl, he just couldn't make himself do it. Things had already gotten so out of hand, and Daryl didn't even know he'd slept with her again yet. Instead, he texted the one person he knew would really listen.

 

_**~ Carol, can you please meet me for a drink? I need to talk to you** _

_**~ You got it. Manhattan's?** _

_**~ Yeah, but just you. I don't want Daryl to know about this.** _

_**~ be right there** _

 

Carol was one of the good ones, and he knew she'd have a hug for him and probably some advice. Daryl would just give him shit and rightfully so. He knew his brother cared, and that's why he got so upset about Cadence, but he already knew he was an idiot for letting her come back to fuck with him, he didn't need to hear it in stereo.

He drove to the same place they always had drinks, and he was inches from falling apart as Carol walked in the door.

“What did she do now?” she asked as soon as she sat down across from him.

“How did you-”

“I knew if you were keeping it from Daryl that it had to do with Cadence, it's the only thing you keep from him.”

Merle sighed, she really had his number. He explained to her the whole sordid affair and before she said a word he got the hug he expected. Carol was always good at knowing when he needed one.

“I'm so sorry, Merle. It's gonna work out...just have faith, OK?”

“She said she'll call me, which means don't call her, right?” he asked, his cheek still resting on her shoulder.

“I don't know, Hun. Sometimes I tell Daryl to leave me alone when we're fighting, and it really means 'chase me' so it's hard to say.”

“I don't know how I'm going to face her at work tomorrow. I guess this is why they say not to dip your pen in the company ink.”

“I saw the way you were together, she just needs time to get her head around it. She will call, and it will work out.”

“God...I hope you're right. I love this woman so much it's killing me right now.”

“I know, Hun. If there's anything I can do you know I'm just a phone call away, remember that. I'll even talk to her if you want.”

“Thanks, you're the best there is,” he smiled. He thanked his lucky stars that he had her to talk to.

“I'll always be here for you, Merle. You're like my own brother.”

“I didn't think Cadence could hurt me anymore...I was such an idiot.”

“You don't deserve this, I refuse to believe it's going to end this way.”

“I feel so damned weak, Carol. I need Sarah back.”

“I know, come here,” she insisted, and he got another hug that he desperately needed.

“Please don't tell Daryl I screw this up, not yet anyway.”

“I won't.”

 

####################################################

 

The next day at work he wrote Sarah multiple text messages that he decided not to send, nothing sounded right.

He sat at his desk wondering how he'd ever be able to stay if they didn't work it out, seeing her hurt so badly. He wanted to hold her and tell her he was sorry but he just sat, helplessly looking at her as she walked passed his desk. He prayed that she'd call him into her office where he could beg her in private to let it be the way it was. He needed her smile and the comfort of knowing she wanted him back again. A taste of the kind of happiness he knew with her would leave him constantly hungry for more.

He almost broke down a couple times, and Asma stopped to ask him what was the matter.

“Just a headache,” he lied.

“Oh, just a minute,” she nodded.

She returned a few minutes later with a cup of tea and a couple Tylenol.

“Thanks a lot, Asma.”

“This tea always makes me feel better,” she smiled and walked back to her desk.

By the end of the day, he thought he'd go mad if Sarah didn't speak to him soon. It's like it was all disappearing, fading into the distant past already, like just days ago they hadn't been making love. It felt like psychological torture, but he was sure he had hurt her and that he probably deserved it. Sarah didn't sign up for this mess. She thought she was getting a man free of baggage and now she was being told lies by his ex.

The way she walked passed his desk without so much as a glance in his direction broke his heart into a hundred pieces like she was forgetting him already and it made him desperate.

At the end of the day, he waited until the office was almost completely empty before walking into her office and shutting the door.

“Merle-”

“Please, Sarah. I can't take this. I wasn't working anything out with her, it was just that once and I told you about that. I'll do whatever I have to do. I know you didn't ask for this mess...I'm so sorry.”

She looked like she was going to break down and she bent down to pick up her purse.

“Can we talk about this somewhere else?”

“Anywhere.”

“I'll meet you at my place, OK?”

He waited until she left and tried desperately to think of a way to convince her it could work out. He left a few minutes after her and took the elevator down to the parkade in a fog of sadness.

Merle got into his car and drove straight to her condo, hoping it wouldn't be the last time she let him in.

 

He pulled up outside her building and tried to imagine life without her, it looked like a bleak life now that he knew how good it could be with her. He made it up to her suite and knocked on the door. When she opened it he could tell she'd been crying and he felt even worse.

“Come in.”

He sat on her couch and just looked at her and the state she was in, he felt like a monster for being anything to do with it.

“So you aren't with her?” she asked in a small voice.

“I swear to god it's not true. It was just that one time, and it was just cause I was weak and lonely, I don't want her. I'm not with her, and I don't know if that baby is mine.”

“I wanted this so bad, Merle. Why did this have to happen?”

“Cause I screwed up. I should have told her to get lost.”

“She said you were cheating on her with me and she looked so angry. I just don't get why she'd lie about that.”

“Cause she changed her mind about throwing me away when I finally got back on my feet, and it was an easy way to break us up by the looks of it.”

“This is...I don't even know...”

Out of the blue, it occurred to Merle that Daryl could be helpful in getting through to her.

“I don't get it myself but I'm gonna call my brother, and I need you to listen, OK?”

“Merle-”

“Please just listen...”

“I don't know, Merle...it might be too late now.”

“It can't be too late, Sarah. I need you too much for it to be too late...please just listen for a minute.”

She didn't move, and he dialed the numbers with his shaking fingers. He tried to calm his voice as he searched for the right words to make it sound natural.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Daryl. I tell you pretty much everything, right?”

“You're a blabbermouth, always have been. What kind of question is that?”

“You know how you saw Cadence a couple weeks back?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me again what you told her and how she reacted.”

“Are you on glue or something?”

Daryl knew nothing about the situation, so he was completely in the dark.

“Please, just say it again.”

“I told her that your new job was going great and that you were hitting it off with every woman around. I mean that's bullshit cause you're stupid over Sarah but what she don't know won't hurt her, right?” Daryl laughed.

Merle looked at Sarah, and there were tears forming in her eyes.

“And how did she react?”

“What the hell is this, Merle?”

“I can't explain that right now, just say it again. Please.”

“She looked jealous as fuck, and she asked a bunch of questions. You know I didn't tell her anything though cause I hate that psychotic bitch.”

Merle tried to think of anything else Daryl could say and then it jumped out at him.

“And what did I tell you about Sarah. Repeat what I said and don't you dare ask why just do it.”

“You told me that you want to marry her as soon as you think she'll say yes and you never loved anyone more.”

“Thanks, brother.”

“So you're really not telling me what this is about?”

“Not right now. Don't worry about it.”

“Pfft! Alright, ya weirdo. Talk to you later.”

Merle hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket.

She was in his arms before he could blink and he broke down, he never thought she'd take him back.

“We'll work it out, baby,” she sobbed.

Nothing in the world could sound as sweet as her calling him baby again.

 

 

 

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

_ **Chapter 17** _ _**  
** _

He didn't want to ever let her go, so he just held on.

“I'm sorry, Sarah...I'm sorry.”

“It's OK, baby. That bitch is just trying to screw with your life, and I'm not having it,” she said, pulling his face to hers and kissing him with every ounce of passion she felt inside.

The tough little farm girl was coming out of Sarah, and she was someone he really liked, she was not to be messed with. He melted into her touch and soon she was all but dragging him to the bedroom and pulling his clothes off along the way.

“You're my man,” she whispered breathlessly, pushing him down on her mattress.

“All yours, honey...”

She tore at her clothes and crawled on top of him to kiss his neck and tease him with her obviously needy body. She moved herself over him, leaving him a mess just pleading with her to finish him off.

She stopped for just a moment and looked at him more seriously.

“I'm sorry I reacted the way I did it just-”

“Don't even think about it, I don't blame you. Let's not waste any more time on that idiot.”

“Agreed....now take me,” she grinned, and he rolled her underneath him.

He lay into her hard, and she moaned unabashedly, scratching her nails down the back of his strong arms.

“That's as good as it gets,” he groaned and then it got even more heated.

Merle had never had makeup sex like this, it was more emotional cause he thought he'd lost her forever. He felt overcome sooner than he wanted to, so he rolled her onto her stomach in hopes of getting her off before he lost it. Merle pulled her up onto her knees and filled her, holding her back tight against his body.

“Damn, baby....” she sighed.

He took one of her breasts in his hand and slid the other hand down between her legs as he fucked her smooth and she reached back holding on around his neck.

“You fuck me so good, my man,” she purred, and he was so close to done.

He pulled off a few more minutes, biting at her neck and moving the tips of his fingers over her clit as he drilled into her.

“Oh....fuck....” she cried out when she'd had just enough.

She bent over as she came and he grabbed her hips to finish off the deed. Makeup sex with her was incredible.

 

Afterward, she curled up in his arms and pulled the quilt up to their necks.

“I love you,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

“I love you too...I'm still sad, though.”

“About her?”

“I just don't like that she's pregnant with your child. Maybe that's childish but if there's going to be a baby out there someday with your eyes and your smile...I want it to be ours.”

He got the full spectrum of how it was affecting her, and it made sense to him.

“Me too, I definitely didn't plan for this.”

“It is what it is I guess, but it won't break us up, and I want her to see that she didn't ruin what we have,” she stated plainly.

Merle loved the fire in her and that fact that once she was crossed, she'd never let you forget it, she was so strong.

“So you wanna have a baby with me?” he grinned.

“Yes...someday we'll do it all, get married and have kids and grow old together. She's not taking this from us.”

He knew it was going to be OK and that she was in it for the long haul, he was her baby again, and she was his honey.

 

 

_**####################################################** _

 

Merle got the chance to make her the chili again in the next week, and she raved about it all evening.

“My talented man,” she winked. “You're a better chef than you give yourself credit for.”

“All I can do is read a recipe and open some cans, but I'll take the compliment,” he laughed.

They were just curling up in the front of the TV when he got a text from Carol that made his blood boil. He sat straight up on the couch and just stared at the picture he was sent.

“Merle! What's the matter?” Sarah asked.

“I gotta make a call, honey. Just a second.”

He stood up and turned the volume down on the TV.

“Carol? What the hell is this?”

“I'm at a bachelorette party at O'Hanlon's, and she's here with her friends. I don't know what the hell she'd playing at but she's been pissing it up for a while by the looks of it, we only just got here.”

“Jesus Christ! She'll be pickling that poor baby.”

“Do you want me to say something to her?”

“No, I'll come down and deal with it. She must have lost her damn mind!”

Merle got off the phone and showed the picture of Candace doing shots to Sarah who looked at the image in disgust.

“I'm coming with you.”

“You don't have to, honey. This isn't your problem.”

“Your problems _are_ my problems.”

They made it downtown in a rush, hoping to talk some sense to her before she did any further damage to an innocent child.

He parked his car and walked into the crowded pub with Sarah by his side. They found Carol first and spoke with her for a moment.

“See? She's right there, looks like she can barely stand up straight.”

Merle stormed off toward her and asked her what the hell she was playing at.

“Leave me alone!” she slurred.

“Hell no, I'm not leaving you alone. You trying to kill this baby or what?”

She seemed to remember what was going on and started to laugh.

“You think this is funny?” Sarah shouted. “Are you insane?”

“I'm not pregnant, Merle.”

“Not any more or you never were?”

She gave him an evil grin then.

“Never was...I just wanted you back, and now I don't, so leave me alone!”

Merle had never wanted to smack a woman before in all his life, but he did then for just a split second. He knew even then that he wouldn't do it, but he still had to get away from her before he screamed at her in public.

“You're sick in the head,” he growled and then turned to leave.

He only heard the sound of the smack, and he'd always regret not seeing it. He did, however, see the look on Carol's face who did get to witness it. Then he heard Sarah's voice, but the tone of it was absolutely demonic.

“Don't you EVER fuck with my man again! Do you hear me? Cause I will break you in two, that's a promise!”

Sarah walked out ahead of Merle, and he was completely and utterly stunned and impressed.

By the time they got out to his car, she was rubbing her red hand on her jeans and shaking in anger.

“Holy shit, honey! That was amazing! You didn't have to do that but...wow!”

She laughed and jumped into his arms.

“That felt so good I wanna go do it again!”

“Get in the car before you get locked up you feisty little red-haired devil woman!” he chuckled.

Merle couldn't get her home fast enough, and her hand was already creeping up his thigh as he drove.

He pulled up outside his apartment and turned to her with a huge smile and then they were rushing up the steps to get to privacy.

He got her through the door and pressed her to the wall, claiming her mouth with his own.

Merle wanted to take her and be her boss man for the night, he wanted to let her relax and be taken care of just like that first night.

He pulled off her shirt, and she giggled at his ferocity.

“Get in that bedroom, woman,” he growled. “I'm gonna take care of ya.”

He fucked her so smooth and so deep but only after kissing her from her toes to her forehead and everywhere in between. Almost losing her was not something he never planned to go through again so he'd do all he could to make her happy and fulfill every desire she had.

“We're free now, honey. Just you and me,” he uttered halfway through sex when he realized that Cadence had absolutely no hold anymore.

“You're all mine, baby. I'm never letting you go,” she agreed.

 

 ~ The End


End file.
